Agenda item

The Board considered a joint report of the Co-Chair, the Integrated Care System (ICS) Director and the Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Groups’ Accountable Officer (schedule 3 to the signed minutes) regarding the emerging relationship between the Integrated Care Partnership and Board.

The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Sustainability and Transformation Partnership became a designated ICS on 1 April 2021 with the aim of (i) improving outcomes in the population’s health and healthcare; (ii) tackling inequalities in outcomes, experiences of and access to healthcare services; (iii) enhancing productivity and value for money in the healthcare system and; (iv) helping the National Heath Service support broader social and economic development.

The anticipated Health and Care Act was expected to require the formation of Integrated Care Partnerships (ICP) comprising a Joint Committee to bring together representatives of Health, Social Care, Public Health and other Partners with an interest in the wider determinants of Health, economic and social development (eg Universities, Fire Service, Police etc). Furthermore, the ICP (if established) was expected to work closely with Health and Wellbeing Boards and have regard to their Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Health and Wellbeing Strategies in preparing an Integrated Care Strategy. The purpose of the ICP Strategy was to address the broader health and care needs of the population, including the wider determinants of health and social and economic development.

Members noted that a significant amount of work had already been completed by Partners in respect of the formation of the ICP in Staffordshire including agreement that it:- (i) should be a partnership of equals; (ii) should represent all organisations, sectors and professional groupings to ensure all viewpoints were heard and the Strategy was strong and inclusive; (iii) balance inclusiveness with focus and the need to adopt a Strategy, ensuring that there were processes in place to undertake business and make progress; (iv) had effective and efficient decision making through collaborative consensus rather than voting; (v) supported all Partners to achieve the ICS statutory duties whilst recognising the independent nature of Partner organisations and; (vi) balanced both national and local priorities driven by population needs or the democratic/political processes.

During the discussion which ensued Members gave consideration to balancing their role with that if the ICP. They spoke in support of holding a joint meeting with Stoke-on-Trent Health and Wellbeing Board and representatives of the ICP to consider this matter further in a co-ordinated and collaborative way. In response the County Council’s Senior Commissioning Manager highlighted the date of 12 October 2021 had provisionally been identified for a Workshop on this issue although these arrangements were flexible. The County Council’s Director of Health and Care undertook to meet with the Leaders of both the County and City Councils as well as the Chairs of the Board in the meantime to plan for the workshop in more detail.

The ICS Director informed them that the ICP Chair designate was unavailable on the above-mentioned date.

A Member requested that details of the two Health and Wellbeing Boards’ priorities etc be circulated to Members in advance of the workshop in order to provide a level of background information having regard to them having not previously met.

RESOLVED – (a) That the report be received and noted.

(b) That arrangements be made for a meeting/workshop to be held by the Board with Stoke-on-Tent Health and Wellbeing Board and representatives of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care System/provisional Integrated Care Partnership, on a mutually convenient date, to consider their emerging relationship with a view to ensuring appropriate collaboration between the bodies, as necessary.