Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Accepted
Paragraph: 279
Integrated Care Boards need better population data to understand and support service provision.
Recommendation
As identified in the report of the HSIB (now the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB)) on variations in palliative care services to adults, we agree that better data on the population within an ICB catchment area needs to be acquired by ICBs so that they can more fully understand the needs of the population. This will allow commissioners to more effectively support the provision of services.
Government Response Summary
The government states the NHS is already required to commission appropriate palliative and end-of-life care services. Palliative care services were added to the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission, promoting a more consistent national approach and supporting commissioners in prioritising palliative and end-of-life care and that NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications to support ICBs in this duty, further work is ongoing including NHS England including palliative and end-of-life care in the list of topics for its regular performance discussions between national and regional leads, and NHS England commissioning the development of an all-age palliative and end of life care dashboard, which brings together relevant local data in one place.
Paragraph Reference:
279
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
While the NHS has always been required to commission appropriate palliative and end-of-life care services to meet the reasonable needs of local populations, palliative care services were added to the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission, promoting a more consistent national approach and supporting commissioners in prioritising palliative and end-of-life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. Further work is ongoing to support ICBs in this legal duty, including: • From April 2024, NHS England is including palliative and end-of-life care in the list of topics for its regular performance discussions between national and regional leads. • NHS England has commissioned the development of an all-age palliative and end of life care dashboard, which brings together relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative and end-of-life care needs of those in their local population, enabling ICBs to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health disparities.