Council chief to lead city’s ‘integrated care provider’

Nottingham City Council chief Ian Curryer will be the executive lead for the Nottingham city “integrated care provider”, which is part of the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICS.

In December, the Labour-run council announced it would suspend membership of the ICS for six months, citing, among other issues, “lack of democratic oversight”.

This spring, it agreed to rejoin. A number of changes had taken place including agreeing there would be an ICP matching the city’s patch and agreeing an approach to NHS procurement within the ICS, responding to concerns about potential privatisation.

The ICS board last month agreed (see board paper attached) that commissioners will follow “best value decision making” and service specifications will include “enhanced aspects relating to social value”. They will also follow procurement law, however, and are “subject to the same procurement rules as the local authorities” which require “that all suppliers must be treated equally”.

The ICS has also appointed Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust chief executive John Brewin as executive lead for the south Notts ICP.

Meanwhile, Sherwood Forest Hospitals FT chief executive Richard Mitchell was appointed executive lead for the mid Notts ICP in the autumn.

Mr Curryer’s appointment means there is an ICP leader from each of acute, mental health and local government.

The ICS said in a statement: “Integrated care providers are provider-led alliances that work together to deliver care in an identified place by agreeing to collaborate rather than compete.

“These providers include hospitals, community services, mental health services, GPs and local authorities.”

It said all three appointments followed a competitive interview process led by the chair of the ICS, David Pearson, and its managing director, Wendy Saviour.

Mr Curryer said: “Only by working together and across organisational boundaries can we deliver the work to prevent ill health occurring wherever possible and ensure that health and social care are working collectively for a common outcome.”

Ms Saviour said: “With this mix of backgrounds from their diverse healthcare sectors I’m very much looking forward to the three ICPs making significant progress in delivering the ambitions of the NHS long-term plan and our local system strategy.”

The ICPs are not making use of the national ICP contract published by NHS England. Their executive leads have responsibilities agreed with the ICS.