Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Thirty-Fifth Report - Introducing Integrated Care Systems
Public Accounts Committee
HC 47
Published 8 February 2023
Recommendations
3
Rejected
The Department has started taking some action to address workforce challenges in social care, but...
Recommendation
The Department has started taking some action to address workforce challenges in social care, but vacancies have increased by 50% in the last year and the number of people working in social care fell in 2021/22 for the first time …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the committee’s recommendation to provide a breakdown of how it spent and what impact it achieved and to set out the underlying reasons and forecasts for social care vacancies. The department will publish additional information on what it is doing to support care commissioners and employers improve workforce capacity, including an update on its workforce reform programme and international recruitment.
HM Treasury
View Details →
4
Rejected
These reforms do nothing to address the longstanding tension caused by differences in funding and...
Recommendation
These reforms do nothing to address the longstanding tension caused by differences in funding and accountability arrangements between the NHS and social care. The Department, which has policy responsibility for both health and social care, is showing a worrying lack …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the recommendation to publish guidance for ICSs on resolving joint working issues, stating that the existing structures and processes are designed to ensure partners support each other.
HM Treasury
View Details →
13
Rejected
NHS England noted the importance of ICSs’ Integrated Care Boards working constructively with the full...
Recommendation
NHS England noted the importance of ICSs’ Integrated Care Boards working constructively with the full range of local partners, including local government, elected members, community groups and the voluntary sector.40 We highlighted the necessity of MPs being able to raise …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the recommendation, stating that the Health and Social Care Act 2022 is designed to ensure partners support each other and resolve issues together, further reinforced by the NHS Act 2006's duties to co-operate.
HM Treasury
View Details →
19
Rejected
The Department told us numbers in the social care workforce were going in the right...
Recommendation
The Department told us numbers in the social care workforce were going in the right direction and that domiciliary care and care home workforces were expanding.70 However, written evidence sent to us by the National Care Forum highlights that, as …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation, stating that they don't hold further information to explain the underlying reasons for social care vacancies and don't produce forecasts for vacancies.
HM Treasury
View Details →
Conclusions (2)
11
Conclusion
Rejected
There is a well-established interdependency between health and local government, with local authorities responsible for managing local social care markets. The stability and resilience of social services have a direct impact on the NHS. High-quality social care, if available, can keep people independent, healthy, and out of hospital.31 Despite the …
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the committee's recommendation, stating that the Health and Social Care Act 2022 is designed to ensure partners support each other and that they will take action if arrangements are not working.
12
Conclusion
Rejected
The oversight of ICSs largely focuses on the NHS elements, and we are concerned the wider system is being overlooked. NHS England has established a very detailed performance regime to monitor Integrated Care Boards’ contributions to NHS objectives. NHS England confirmed to us that it retains its power of intervention, …
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the Committee's recommendation, stating that the Health and Social Care Act 2022 is designed to ensure partners support each other and that they will take action if arrangements are not working.