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Two ICBs triple their required primary care posts

Two ICBs triple their required primary care posts
By Jess Hacker
14 June 2022



Two Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) have outlined they will appoint three primary care representatives to their Board: two more than is mandated.

According to their constitutions – published last week – both Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB and Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB have stated they will appoint three members to represent primary care at a system level.

As set out in the Health and Care Act 2022, one ICB will sit in each of the 42 Integrated Care System (ICS) areas and will assume commissioning functions from CCGs from 1 July 2022.

However, ICBs are only required to appoint one representative from primary care, stoking fears that the GP voice would be diminished with the loss of CCGs.

In its constitution, Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB outlines that while one of these three partners may be non-clinical, two must be either partner, locum or salaried GPs.

Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB’s constitution suggests they must be a healthcare professional ‘either actively working’ or has recently working for a primary medical service in the ICB area.

The 42 constitutions indicate the majority (25) will appoint just one primary care member, with 15 appointing two and two appointing three.

A spokesperson from Bedfordshire said: ‘We developed our partner board member structure with our ICS partners and sought to achieve a balance between NHS Trusts, primary medical services and local authority partner members.’

It comes as a number of ICBs outlined they intend to appoint only PCN directors, leading to criticism this will restrict the talent available.

ICBNumber of primary care Board members
Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes3
Hertfordshire and West Essex3
Birmingham and Solihull2
Black Country2
Cheshire and Merseyside2
Coventry and Warwickshire2
Dorset2
Frimley2
Hampshire and Isle of Wight2
Herefordshire and Worcestershire2
Kent and Medway2
North Central London2
North East and North Cumbria2
North East London2
Northamptonshire2
Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin2
Suffolk and North East Essex2
Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire  1
Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire  1
Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West  1
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough  1
Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly  1
Derby and Derbyshire  1
Devon  1
Gloucestershire  1
Greater Manchester   1
Humber and North Yorkshire  1
Lancashire and South Cumbria  1
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland   1
Lincolnshire   1
Mid and South Essex   1
Norfolk and Waveney  1
North West London  1
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire  1
Somerset  1
South East London  1
South West London   1
South Yorkshire  1
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent  1
Surrey Heartlands  1
Sussex  1
West Yorkshire  1
Source: NHS England

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