The Patient Association's response to the NHS’s consultation on integrating care (January 2021)

Summary

Last year, the NHS published proposals for new legislation that is intended to reduce the role of competition in the NHS, and increase integration and collaboration between NHS organisations.

The Patients Association have now submitted their response, making clear that while they support many of the aims of the proposals, they are deeply concerned about the complete lack of any clear role for patients in the new system.

Co-design and co-production should become the default approach in the NHS, but instead the proposals take a traditional, paternalistic approach in which the NHS holds itself separate from patients.

The Patients Association are writing to Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England and Improvement, to make clear that an appropriate role for patients must be included in the new proposals in order for them to be able to support any future legislation.