New NHS organisation to plan health and care services for local people
Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (BSW ICB) came into being at one minute past midnight on Friday 1 July, following a successful transition from the region’s former clinical commissioning group.
Officials from the new organisation met during a virtual day one meeting in public to herald its arrival, discuss future plans and answer questions submitted in advance from people living in the local area.
The ICB for Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire is one of 42 others that have been established across England as part of national plans to improve integration between health and care organisations serving the same geography.
Following Parliamentary approval, and the subsequent Royal Assent, of the new Health and Care Act 2022, which outlines the need for more effective collaboration and better joined-up working, CCGs have been dissolved to make way for integrated care boards that will bring more cohesion to local health and care systems.
Sue Harriman, Chief Executive, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said:
“This is day one of a brand new organisation, and it is incredibly exciting to look ahead, and to think of all that can be achieved through genuine integration and real collaboration.
“However, while we have big plans, many of which build on strengthening the ties partners forged during the pandemic, today marks only the start of a long journey to truly change how we deliver health and care to local people.”
Stephanie Elsy, Chair, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said:
“For too long, residents have spoken of a health and care system that feels overly complicated and, at times, confusing, but we now aim to change that by bringing all our various health and care partners together around a single table.
“The integrated care board will make it easier for the NHS, local government and voluntary sector to work as one, which in turn should create a more seamless journey of care for patients, especially those who receive help from multiple partners such as older people who may be visited at home, but still need to attend appointments in hospital or with their GP.”
As a sovereign statutory body, the ICB will work collaboratively to improve outcomes in population health, provide better joined-up care, reduce health inequalities and enhance productivity and value for money, while also helping the NHS support broader social and economic development.
BSW Together
The ICB will sit within the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care System, known as BSW Together.
This network of local health and care organisations will, along with councils, community providers and voluntary sector groups, plan and organise how health and care services can be delivered across the region, while also committing to give local people and communities a louder voice in how services are provided locally.
Members of the BSW Partnership Integrated Care System include three NHS foundation trusts, 88 GP practices and three local councils, as well as the ambulance service, community caregivers, mental health providers and hundreds of local voluntary, community and social enterprise groups.
- Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
- Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group
- Bath and North East Somerset Council
- Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Healthwatch Bath and North East Somerset
- Healthwatch Swindon
- Healthwatch Wiltshire
- Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust
- Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
- South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
- Swindon Borough Council
- Wessex Local Medical Committees
- West of England Academic Health Science Network
- Wiltshire Council
- Wiltshire Health and Care
- Virgin Care
Get involved and have your say
The Integrated Care Board will be holding regularly public meetings - either face to face or virtual - to give local people the opportunity to find out the issues the ICB board members are discussing, read minutes and ask questions.
Future meeting dates
- 30 August 2022
- 1 November 2022
- 6 December 2022
- 10 January 2023
- 14 March 2023
If you would like to know more, would like to get involved and have your say about any proposals or find out about upcoming engagement and consultation activity, please email bswicb.partnership@nhs.net
A new way to ensure your voice is heard
The introduction of the Integrated Care System gives Healthwatch Wiltshire a unique opportunity to feed people’s views into the planning and running of services – especially the voices of those who are not being heard now.
