ICBs are making progress against their aims at ‘different speeds’, according to the annual assessment of ICBs for the 2023/24 financial year.
The assessments, published last week, looked at system leadership as well as the four core aims of ICBs: improving population health, tackling unequal access, outcomes and experience, enhancing productivity and value for money and helping broader social and economic development.
They found that while there were ‘undoubtedly’ challenges relating to industrial action and service reconfigurations, that there were areas of ‘outstanding practice’ as well, but also some performance issues that need to be addressed.
Within system leadership, it found ‘strong’ leadership within 10 ICBs, including Lancashire and South Cumbria, North East and North Cumbria, Humber and North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Birmingham and Solihull, Coventry and Warwickshire, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, Frimley, Sussex and Dorset.
Norfolk and Waveney were also noted for ‘strong system working’, Northamptonshire for ‘strong strategic development’, and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and Gloucestershire for strong governance.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough were recognised for having ‘strong partnership working’, however it was noted that there were ‘significant concerns regarding the limited performance of a number of trusts’ and that the ICB should support improvement.
It added that Cheshire and Merseyside ICB had a ‘purposeful, cohesive executive structure and well-established place-level structures’.
Across population health, ICBs had made some progress against targets, but all needed further action.
Coventry and Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, Surrey Heartlands, Sussex, North West London and Lincolnshire were all noted for their progress in primary care in this area.
Frimley also had a ‘well regarded’ population health management programme, according to the assessments, which is supporting ongoing reductions in admissions and GP consultations.
However, the assessment said North East London and South West London had both underspent on their system development programme funding and ‘should take steps to ensure the full funding is used in future’.
On tackling unequal access, outcomes and experience, many ICBs were told they had made good early progress.
Yorkshire and Humber were highlighted for a ‘well-articulated and ambitious vision’, while Coventry and Warwickshire had ‘strong’ progress on health inequalities with a ‘refreshed strategy and ‘robust delivery plan’.
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland meanwhile were described as a ‘leader’ in reducing health inequalities, sharing innovation and best practice with peers.
‘Its health inequalities unit uses research and business intelligence to target areas in a way that aligns with the system’s overarching inequalities strategy,’ the assessment document said.
‘The integration of inequalities with routine business management across the system enables performance and inequity to be considered together and this is leading to innovative integrated solutions for uptake of vaccination and screening programmes, for example.’
Sussex ICB were found to have made significant progress in this area, with 20 of 25 indicators of its core system actions being met.
The assessments also recognised the financial difficulties of the 2023/24 year, said that some ICBs were reliant on non-recurrent funding and that many would need to make efficiencies to maintain financial stability.
It comes after ICBs were told the first steps they must complete as part of the elective reform plan to reduce waiting lists, which was published by the government earlier this month.
However, a recent report has also warned that the government’s plan for the primary care workforce may be jeopardised by over-stretched services and a lack of capacity in the education sector.
