AQW 53267/11-16


Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry


Tabled Date: 22/01/2016
Answered On Date: 22/03/2016
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for his assessment of regional Integrated Care Partnerships; to detail the the funding they have received in each of the last two years; and how he plans to support the work of Integrated Care Partnerships going forward.


Answer:
The 17 Integrated Care Partnerships, established in June 2013, have made good progress in re-designing care for the 4 initial priority areas, namely Diabetes, Stroke, Respiratory and Frail Elderly. ICPs have been instrumental in the introduction of the Acute Care at Home service in Belfast Southern and South Eastern LCG areas; the piloting of Social Prescribing to support Frail Elderly service users, and the rationalisation of a regional Home Oxygen service.
Rather than having a ring-fenced budget of their own, individual ICPs advise their Local Commissioning Group on opportunities to commission services in a manner that could improve local service delivery. Ultimately it is the LCG who fund any such revised service. Administrative support and locum cover is centrally managed by the HSCB Integrated Care Directorate.
The Health and Social Care Board continues to work closely with Integrated Care Partnerships to support their work.