The Long Term Plan outlines that on 1st April 2021, all NHS organisations will be part of an Integrated Care System. The NHSE/I ICS team have recently published the announcement of the next 11 ICS footprints and further guidance on the next steps for ICS evolution. This can be found here:  NHS England » Integrated care systems

These announcements show the pace of change across the health and social care landscape. As procurement, this shift represents an opportunity for us to better align our procurement and supplier management activities to directly shape and support early ICS development, ensuring future system-wide decisions regarding service delivery transformation, consider critical third party contract, supplier and market management enablers.

Within the planning guidance that will be issued to all the Providers, there is a section on PTOM procurement transformation. This will include more information on the work of procurement within the ICS model. Please liaise with your CEO’s office to see this when this is received, and how best to take it forward.