Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 19
Integrated Care System targets should be outcome-based, with sparingly used delivery prescription.
Recommendation
Targets for ICSs set by DHSC and NHS England should be based on outcomes. There may be times when greater prescription around how targets are achieved is needed, but we believe this should be done sparingly.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of outcomes-based targets and agrees other measures may be needed. They describe a mixed approach to target setting, balancing national and local targets, and highlight existing commitments like the Levelling Up health mission and a reduction in national NHS objectives.
Paragraph Reference:
19
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
DHSC and NHS England acknowledge the importance of outcomes-based targets in driving improvements in health and social care services and agree that other measures and targets may be needed alongside outcomes to demonstrate progress or to address key issues of public concern. There are clearly areas of particular national importance where we will set both a future target and a trajectory towards it, but there will also be areas where it is appropriate for local systems to set their own targets or areas where there may be a future national target where it makes sense for local systems to determine their trajectory of delivery against it. DHSC has already committed to a UK-wide Levelling Up health mission to narrow the gap in healthy life expectancy (HLE) at birth between local areas where it is highest and lowest by 2030, and increase HLE by 5 years by 2035, as announced in the Levelling Up white paper. The public rightly expects improvements to access to health services as well as longer-term health outcomes, including getting a GP appointment, receiving routine treatments and procedures, and being able to rely on urgent and emergency services when needed. We also recognise the benefit of the centre focusing on a small core set of priorities, which has been reflected in the reduction to 31 national NHS objectives within the 2023 to 2024 priorities and operational planning guidance, and will be reflected in the forthcoming mandate to NHS England.