Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Not Addressed
The role of social care in the provision of palliative and end of life care...
Recommendation
The role of social care in the provision of palliative and end of life care has been overlooked for far too long, and we are concerned that the Government’s plans to remove local authorities from ICBs will only make the current situation worse, particularly in the context of the Government’s aim to shift care into the community. We urge the Government to reconsider its decision to remove, through legislation, local authority representation on ICBs, to ensure social care is represented, understood and appropriately commissioned to deliver end of life care. (Recommendation, Paragraph 41) 36 Data
Government response summary AI-generated
Despite a 'Partially Accept' label, the government's response discusses generalist workforce training and education frameworks for healthcare professionals, which does not address the recommendation to reconsider removing local authority representation on ICBs.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government · verbatim extract
Not Addressed
Reject Collaboration between ICBs and local authorities (LAs) is a core part of our future operating model as set out in our 10 Year Health Plan. However, the current system where LA and ICB collaboration takes place through multiple fora, including the boards of ICBs, integrated care partnerships (ICPs) and health and wellbeing boards (HWBs), is confusing and ineffective. The removal of LAs as well as providers from ICBs will simplify the existing complex landscape of collaboration, as well as reflect the core role of ICBs as strategic commissioners covering larger geographies. In the future, collaboration between ICBs and LAs will be at ‘place’ level, with health and wellbeing boards as the focal point. This is part of our ambition to deliver neighbourhood health. As set out in March 2026’s Neighbourhood Health Framework, ICBs and LAs will work together at HWB level to agree how neighbourhood health can deliver measurable benefits and address local priorities and health inequalities set out in the local joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA). The JSNA includes needs relating to end of life care including bereavement services. The new operating model continues to champion and incentivise partnership working and is embedded into its policy frameworks such as the Strategic Commissioning Framework and the Neighbourhood Health Framework. These documents make it clear that working in partnership is a core enabler of effective strategic commissioning, not just good practice.
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