Becoming an integrated (accountable) care system

Abstract

This is the second in a series of three articles that explains integrated care and explores its anticipated impact on the NHS in England. This article uncovers the concept of an integrated care system. The changing terminology is first discussed, with the aim to understand what the new terminology means in practice. Then the characteristics that will make success of an integrated care system are explored, with an emphasis on leaders shaping their environment. Building on this, the principal organisations in an integrated care system are introduced, bringing in their motivations and what they will be losing when they contribute to integrated care. The focus then moves onto the leaders of an integrated care system and how their leadership function and governance will change as the integrated care system moves to implement changes that have both short- and long-term implications. The article then concludes with the ramifications that result from the end of the internal market in this new paradigm of integrated care.