NHS Reforms

On 1 April 2025, NHS England wrote to ICB and provider leaders outlining how we will work together in 2025/26 to deliver our core priorities, laying the foundations for reform in preparation to deliver the ambitions of the 10 Year Health Plan. 

Delivering the 10 Year Health Plan will require a leaner and simpler way of working, where every part of the NHS is clear on their purpose, what they are accountable for, and to whom. Our focus is to deliver the three strategic shifts:

• Treatment to prevention – stronger emphasis on preventative health and wellbeing, addressing the causes of ill health before medical intervention is needed
• Hospital to community – reducing reliance on acute care by building more joined up, person-centred care closer to home in local neighbourhoods
• Analogue to digital – Using technology and data to make healthcare smarter, faster, and more tailored to each person’s needs

Over the last few weeks, NHS England has worked with ICB leaders across the country to co-produce a draft Model ICB Blueprint that clarifies the role and purpose of ICBs, our core functions and what needs to be in place to ensure success: 

• ICBs will continue to play a vital leadership role, focused on understanding population health needs, planning for the long term, reducing health inequalities and ensuring access to consistently high quality and efficient care
• Our functions will be more focused, with some responsibilities moving to providers or regional/national teams over time. We will need to streamline in places and do some things differently, more efficiently and/or at scale
• Not all changes can be done this year as some need legislation and some functional changes/transfers will need time to be done safely
• There will be a national support offer, including advice on voluntary redundancy/mutually agreed resignation schemes (MARS), guidance on redeployment, training and help with career transitions if necessary. The detail of this is TBC.

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