We need to be ‘really thoughtful’ about intervening with ICSs

NHS England needs to be ‘really thoughtful’ about how and when it intervenes as powers are devolved from the centre to integrated care systems, NHSE’s chief executive has said.  

Following her keynote speech at NHS ConfedExpo in Manchester today, Amanda Pritchard was asked about “her vision for the future” devolving powers to Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) as part of the NHS reforms and if “it changes the way leaders should behave”.

Ms Pritchard admitted “earned autonomy” in relation to ICSs – a phrase she has previously used but has jarred with many local leaders – was “not quite the right phrase”.

“It feels like we’re using yesterday’s language for today’s ways of working. I know it’s not quite the right word, but I can’t think of a better one at the moment,” she said.

“What I am asking my own organisation to do, is make sure that we are really thoughtful about all of those different things that we do, and we are increasingly really intentional about which of those [tools] you can use in different circumstances [in regards to performance and accountability].”

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Source: HSJ, 14 June 2023