What are integrated care partnerships (ICPs)?

Each integrated care partnership (ICP) operates as a statutory committee, bringing together the NHS and local authorities as equal partners to work together on health, public health and social care. ICPs will include representatives from the ICB, the local authorities within their area and other partners such as NHS providers, public health, social care, housing services, and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations. They will be responsible for developing an integrated care strategy, which sets out how the wider health needs of the local population will be met. This should be informed by any relevant joint strategic needs assessments.

In developing its integrated care strategy, the ICP must involve the local Healthwatch, the VSCE sector, and people and communities living in the area. ICPs do not directly commission services.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England and the Local Government Association (LGA) have jointly developed expectations of ICPs:

1. ICPs are a core part of ICSs, driving their direction and priorities.
2. ICPs will be rooted in the needs of people, communities and places.
3. ICPs create a space to develop and oversee population health strategies to improve health outcomes and experiences.
4. ICPs will support integrated approaches and subsidiarity.
5. ICPs should take an open and inclusive approach to strategy development and leadership, involving communities and partners to utilise local data and insights.

You may like to get in touch with your ICP to:

• Join the partnership
• Ask how the views and experiences of people affected by neurological conditions are informing their strategy

Every ICB and ICP has appointed a Chief Executive and/or Chair. The full list is available here.

Further reading

Department of Health and Social Care (2021) Integrated care partnership (ICP) engagement document: integrated care system (ICS) implementation.

NHS England and improvement (2021) ICS implementation guidance on partnerships with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector