Responding to the Hewitt Review of integrated care systems, Karl Williams, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Policy Studies, said:
‘The Hewitt Review makes some promising recommendations on integrating healthcare data to drive better outcomes for patients and enhance accountability within the health service. Similarly, its suggestion that ICSs are benchmarked against each other will surely help highlight areas of best practice and under-performance, especially if this process can be linked to appropriate incentives.’
‘It is also encouraging that the need to embed a culture of research and innovation within the NHS is highlighted. This will strengthen Britain’s existing life sciences and medical research offering, and lead to new and improved treatments for patients in the long term.’
‘However, it is deeply disappointing that the review does not consider whether existing Integrated Care Systems actually do improve patient outcomes or deliver value for taxpayers – the two most critical measures of success. Our research, using data published by the NHS, found ICSs in Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire did not outperform the national average for patient outcomes, and by some measures under-performed.’
‘The Hewitt Review starts from the premise that the ICS reforms will improve outcomes, rather than showing that they have actually done so to date. It represents a missed opportunity to evaluate in detail the successes and failures of the integrated care reforms in England since 2016.’
NOTES TO EDITORS
- Karl Williams is a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Policy Studies and co-author of ‘Is Manchester Greater? A New Analysis of NHS Integration’, available to download here.
- For further information, please contact Emma Revell on 07931 698246 and [email protected]
- The Centre for Policy Studies is one of the oldest and most influential think tanks in Westminster. With a focus on taxation, economic growth, business, welfare, education, housing and green growth, its goal is to develop policies that widen enterprise, ownership and opportunity.
Date Added: Tuesday 4th April 2023
