Author Description

- Integrated care systems (ICSs) have been proposed as the future model for the health and care system in England. Their development represents a fundamental and far-reaching change in how the NHS works across different services and with external partners. - ICSs development has been locally led and there is no national blueprint. We carried out interviews in eight of the 'first wave ICSs to understand how they are developing and to identify lessons for local systems and national policy-makers. -The systems vary widely in their size and complexity. Larger ICSs are working to improve health and care through neighbourhoods and places as well as across whole systems, emphasising the principle of subsidiarity. - Most ICSs are making progress in developing their capabilities to work as systems, and organisations are working more collaboratively to manage finances and performance in a way that was not happening previously. - There are some early signs of progress in delivering service...