CEO 'blog' Changes to ICBs role

Changes to ICBs role 

From this month, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) will increasingly operate as strategic commissioners rather than operational managers of change and transformation. This will likely be reinforced following the recent staff cutbacks at the ICB. Their primary role will be to set direction, allocate resources, and hold systems to account for outcomes.

This marks a significant shift in how health systems are governed and where leadership for change actually sits. This has importance for practices as there is no nationally imposed answer to the question of who should actually lead neighbourhood working development. At a place level, a variety of NHS providers, GP collaboratives of various types, even councils could all put their hands up and make the case that they are the obvious ones to lead. So, who actually could or should lead it?

The answer will be whoever can devote time and energy to drive it forward. This sort of leadership challenge will require individuals to obtain a mandate from other providers and produce a credible narrative offer to commissioners which also meets their priorities for service access, quality and financial envelope. The future is here if you want to step up.

William Greenwood

LMC Chief Executive