Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) were legally established in 2022, and are responsible for implementing strategies across systems, places and neighbourhoods within localities to ensure patients and citizens can access health and care services, aligned to their needs. A key focus of ICSs is improving population health whilst being focused on system outcomes.
ICSs are aiming to transform the way high quality services are delivered to local populations, using data, information and insight from health and care sector daily outputs to make this possible.
Underpinning the strategy with ICSs
ICSs are becoming the driver both of change and funding allocation for health and social care. However, local authorities are still finding out how they can best understand and navigate this increasingly complex environment with the NHS at a local level. Meanwhile, rising inflation has placed increased financial pressures on services and a wide-ranging reform agenda is being introduced across the health and social care system.
We are at a pivotal place when it comes to aligning and integrating services through ICSs and it’s crucial that technology solutions are included at the outset of strategy development. Our solutions must support the objectives of ICSs and the focus on driving quality, reducing inequalities, best practice, transformation and enabling the appropriate use of digital health and care for patients and citizens.
The improved ‘connectivity’ between health and care within ICSs will enable the necessary transformation of services. ICSs will support local authorities and other service providers, citizens and their communities, all of whom will be the real driving force behind transformation.
Technological advancements and digital solutions
Technology enabled care services (TECS) will be crucial, and their importance to health and care shouldn’t be underestimated. For example, TECS can help monitor and support citizens’ health and care needs in the community, and help to prevent admission or readmission to hospital. They can also enable timely hospital discharge and enable more preventative care, which are all key elements in improving services.
With 2025 set as the deadline for the digital transition, we’re pulling out all the stops to ensure our solutions are digitally optimised. The next generation of products and services will need to be designed to work with multiple connectivity options and continue to evolve in order to help customers and citizens benefit as much as possible from the digital transition.
Ensuring digital services are ready and working for teams on the ground is critical and providers should be focusing attention on this as a priority. Changes like this can require significant investment, but there are also cost benefits to taking a phased approach to introducing new technologies which can ultimately increase productivity.
Whilst the digital transition offers many benefits, there are also risks that need to be considered, particularly in relation to the impact on older people and those with additional needs. For example, ensuring telecare systems (in individual dwellings and in grouped living environments) will continue to work once the move to digital takes effect.
Workforce planning
When commissioning technology, local authorities and service providers will want to consider who is receiving the support and who needs it – is it the user, the carer or both? Statutory funding and support focuses on the person needing help. However, councils should also consider how better supporting informal carers can also be beneficial for the citizen, workforce and the system overall.
With an ageing population and a stretched workforce, planning is integral to the success of health and care transformation. With digital solutions in place, providers will be able to join up and implement strategies that enhance planning for time and resource, using technology to secure a clearer picture of those with highest needs and target care where it’s needed most.
This tech-first approach requires comprehensive training of staff on technological systems, ensuring confidence and understanding across the workforce. Joined-up care relies on digital literacy for staff and this will have a positive impact on internal systems as well as people’s experience of care.
Citizen experience
When it comes to improving citizen experience, technology can be a crucial means by which this can be achieved. Whether it’s by enabling better communications between family through providing a tablet or similar device, or supporting carers to use technology which can minimise the impact of caring responsibilities.
The overall impact of the digital transition should see local authorities and service providers be better equipped to help keep people at home for longer and living independently, with an improved quality of life. ICSs will play a critical role as these organisations are tasked with ensuring equality of care by supporting health and care providers with the transformation.
Through identifying the needs via the individuals’ ‘lens’, and understanding that populations are diverse, we can provide better services. When ICSs collaborate effectively across health, social care, housing and the voluntary sector, all citizens should receive better, more integrated, care with improved outcomes. Technology solutions will enable ICSs to meet citizen expectations, and drive improvements in quality, equity, resources, and ultimately population health.
Gavin Bashar is UK & Ireland MD of Tunstall Healthcare.
