Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of existing levels of accountability of NHS decision-making; and what plans they have to increase the centrality of patients in decision-making structures in future.

The Health and Care Bill includes duties on integrated care boards (ICBs) to involve patients, carers and the public in their decision making, which applies at all levels of the organisation. Currently, NHS England assesses each clinical commissioning group on its delivery against the patient and public involvement duties through the NHS Oversight Framework. We anticipate that this will continue for ICBs. The assessment includes providing evidence of how the involvement of people and communities has informed the organisation’s decision-making about commissioning and changes to services.

Subject to Parliamentary approval, NHS England will produce statutory guidance to support integrated care systems to effectively involve people and communities. This will clarify the responsibilities of all ICB members to provide leadership and accountability for how people and communities are involved.