Fears for Devon under new ‘integrated care system’

Full story in North Devon Gazette, 21 March 2018

An integrated care system (ICS) is supposed to start in the county on April 1, brought in by North, East and West Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG) and Devon County Council.

The idea behind it is for the NHS and social care providers to work together to provide better ‘joined up’ health care for patients. But there are fears for what the new system will mean, with opponents saying there has been no information about ICS – formerly known as accountable care systems (ACSs) – and no public consultation.

Liberal Democrat county councillors have called it in to an emergency meeting of the council’s health scrutiny committee tomorrow after it appeared the DCC cabinet would pass it.