What is NHS England?

Summary

From 1 April, NHS England and NHS Improvement came together to act as a single organisation. Their aim is to better support the NHS and help improve care for patients. 

Content

Local health systems are supported by NHS England's seven integrated regional teams who play a major leadership role in the geographies they manage. They make decisions about how best to support and assure performance in their region, as well as supporting system transformation and the development of sustainability and transformation partnerships and integrated care systems (ICS).

Their revitalised culture of support and collaboration will be underpinned by a new approach, including:

• a move away from relying solely on arm’s-length regulation and performance management to supporting service improvement and transformation across systems and within providers
• strong governance and accountability mechanisms in place for systems to ensure that the NHS as a whole can secure the best value from its combined resources
• a reinforcement of accountability at Board, Governing Body and local system ICS level for adopting standards of best practice and making their contribution to critical national improvement programmes, on a comply or explain basis
• making better use and improving the quality of the data and information that local systems and providers have access to improve patient services.