What are Integrated Care Systems and why should Pharma care?

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What are Integrated Care Systems and why should Pharma care?

8th December 2021 | Andrew Norman

The introduction of Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) in April 2022 is part of a fundamental shift in the way England’s health and care system is organised.

ICSs will see local authorities and local partners coming together to work with those who provide and commission NHS services across set geographical areas.

In coming together, the different agencies will work as a collective, setting the strategic direction and developing economies of scale to plan the health and care services needed by their geographies’ population of typically more than a million people.

“The central aim of ICSs is to integrate care across different organisations and settings, joining up hospital and community-based services, physical and mental health, and health and social care.” (The King’s Fund)

What do ICSs mean for pharma?

The concept of joining up health and social care has been around for a long time. And now, the concept is becoming reality.

The vision is that ICSs will be the vehicle for the greater integration of health and care services:

improving population health and reducing inequalities
supporting productivity and sustainability of services
helping the NHS to support social and economic development

The move to ICS is targeted in its ambitions for what it wants to achieve in terms of better patient outcomes, better patient care and greater efficiencies.

But what do these changes mean for you as a pharma professional?

ICSs herald significant changes to the structure and dynamics of the health and care system across England.

“much of the activity to integrate care and improve population health will be driven by commissioners and providers collaborating over smaller geographies within ICSs (often referred to as ‘places’) and through teams delivering services working together on even smaller footprints (usually referred to as ‘neighbourhoods’).
(The King’s Fund)

As changes to improve the efficiency of care are introduced, you will need effective analytics to map out the new territories and access the detailed data you need to grow your business.

Scott McKenzie, an Independent Management Consultant working inside the NHS, writes,

“It’s essential that pharma professionals have a detailed understanding of their local Integrated Care System (ICS) to best focus their time on the new NHS structure.” (Scott McKenzie for Pharmafield)

And that’s where Inspiremed can help.

“By using analytics to map out the structure of the new Integrated care Systems, you’ll be able to see at-a-glance what’s changed in terms of your target audiences.” (David Warwick, Director, Inspiremed)

Plan with confidence

Being able to see the structure of the new ICSs is going to be vital for pharma professionals. Access to data that reveals the structural changes that have taken place and that continue to take place will enable you to plan your accounts, marketing, and sales with confidence.

So, you can work more efficiently and effectively within the new structures.