Meeting documents

To receive and consider the report.

Paul von der Heyde, Somerset ICS Chair and Chair Designate for NHS Somerset ICB, introduced the topic, noting that the Health and Care Act continues to progress through Parliament, with 1^st July 2022 now being the date for institution of the new ICB, which is the successor organisation to the Somerset CCG.  He and the ICB Chief Executive Designate, Jonathan Higman (who could not be present for this meeting due to illness), have sent letters to four potential non-executives for the ICB and are also in the process of appointing the non-statutory executives.  The ICP planning is less advanced but is progressing.

James Rimmer, Chief Executive of CCG and System Lead, then made the presentation; he works with Jonathan Higman on the ICB, and this presentation is the evolution of their work.  There are four key aims of the ICS:  To improve outcomes in the population’s health and healthcare; to tackle inequalities in outcomes, experience and access; to enhance productivity and value for money; and to help the NHS support broader social and economic development.  As for the Somerset community, the population is 580,000 with 13 Primary Care Networks, 2 Foundation Trusts, and the CCG; the expenditure for 2020/21 was £993.5 million, with 48% of that going to secondary care commissioning and hospital services.  He noted that Improving Lives is the strategy for Somerset county with respect to delivering improvements for the population, while Fit for my Future is the strategy by which the Somerset ICS will effect the vision of people living healthy independent lives supported by thriving communities with easy access to high-quality public services.  The Improving Lives strategy is at the heart of the ICS/ICB, with key partners centred around it; while Fit for my Future aims to improve the health and wellbeing of the population, provide the best care and support to people, strengthen care and support in local communities, reduce inequalities, and respond well to complex needs.  The principles of system working were touched on, as well as the structure of the ICS, which has the ICS and HWBB sitting above the ICB, the Local Authority, and the ICS "engine room", which is described as a way of working where partners come together to work as a single system.  Initially, the engine room is made up of teams from all partner organisations, although as it develops, it could be consolidated to be hosted within a single partner organisation.  Other aspects of the ICS and ICB include professional and clinical leadership, which is being developed currently, and the recruitment of a Chief Medical Director and Chief Nursing Director.  The Year One priorities include continuing to lead the pandemic response and recovery, creating the ICS engine room starting with the population health hub, establishing the ICP and its health and care strategies, developing and implementing a systemwide strategy for primary care, developing the five-year financial and workforce strategies, and developing the Board, organisation, and system as a whole. 

The Board then discussed the presentation; Trudi Grant, Director of Public Health, provided further information on the population and health work, noting that this Wednesday, proposals for the five-year programme will be taken to the ICS Board.  It will focus on transforming local health and care services to become more prevention driven rather than demand driven, with the national guidance and policy supporting this.  If the programme is approved, she would like to bring it back to the HWBB Board in the future.

Cllr Nicholson, Vice Chair, said that the presentation had been very helpful; she asked if the appropriate focus on various groups such as children, SEND, etc. will be reflected in the future programme.  It was responded that there are currently six delivery boards that were established two years ago and that focus on primary care, urgent care, mental health, etc., and these will transition into the ICB.  The details are being worked out as to where and how these delivery boards will sit across all partners, who are also transitioning over to the ICB.  It was also reassured that specific issues will not be lost in the transition.

The Advisory Somerset Health and Wellbeing Board expressed its support for the proposed, ways of working, and governance arrangements for the Somerset ICS and ICB.