Full story in the HSJ, 24 April 2018
A leading health system will not become a “fully operational” integrated care system this year as hoped, instead remaining in “shadow” form.
However, Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes will move to share a single clinical commissioning group chief officer this year, according to a paper to a board meeting last week.
BLMK is one of 10 “shadow” ICS which were identified by NHS England last summer, with the hope they would become “fully operational” for 2018-19.
However, the paper says it “will continue in shadow [form]” for a second year running.
It is not clear why, or what it will miss out on because of this.
However, under 2018-19 planning guidance, ICS are required to produce a single operational plan for the year and indicated that they would adopt a system financial control total. HSJ reported this month that many of the areas had rejected NHS England’s and NHS Improvement’s terms for taking on the system control total.