ICS test sites announced for health inequalities project

In February, we announced our work with CQC and The Point of Care Foundation on a project funded by the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund.

We are pleased to announce the launch of the testing phase of this project, which aims to develop an improvement framework for Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) to understand how well their engagement with people and communities is helping to reduce health inequalities. 

Four ICSs – Black Country ICS, Gloucestershire ICS, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICS and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICS – have volunteered to test our draft framework this autumn. The feedback from this testing phase will help improve the framework and create guidance and learning materials to support ICSs use this tool effectively. 

Since February, we have completed the Scoping and Co-design project phases, which included developing a desk review analysing existing frameworks to inform the project’s direction.  

The draft framework the ICSs will be testing has been co-designed with a wide range of stakeholders, including voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations and people with lived experiences of health inequalities. 

This Co-design phase was overseen by an Expert Advisory Group (EAG), co-chaired by Jacob Lant, Chief Executive of National Voices and Robyn Chappell, Lived Experience Advisor at National Voices. The conversations held by and as a part of this group were fundamental in ensuring a diverse range of viewpoints and experiences were considered during the framework’s development.

To learn more about the Co-design phase and the importance of lived experience involvement in this project, read Robyn’s blog. 

The framework and accompanying guidance will be launched in the spring of 2025. 

Jacob Lant, Chief Executive of National Voices, said:

We have really valued the opportunity to work on this important project with the CQC and the Point of Care Foundation, and want to extend our thanks to the Regulators Pioneer Fund for investing in this.   

By ensuring that this framework is co-designed with a range of people and organisations, and especially with those who have lived experience, we are hopeful that it will succeed in its overall goal of supporting integrated care systems to work in true partnership with those experiencing health inequalities.  

When people and communities feel they are having meaningful input into decision making and guiding improvements, ICSs will be able to realise their true potential in helping to tackle health inequalities. 

We are excited to move on to the testing stage of this project and look forward to providing further updates.

Sarah Massie, Director of Programmes at the Point of Care Foundation, said:

We are delighted with the progress of this project and excited to be entering the testing phase. We’re grateful to the four ICSs – Black Country ICS, Gloucestershire ICS, Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICS, and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICS – for volunteering to test our framework. 

This will help us continue to co-design the framework to be as effective as possible in reducing health inequalities. It is our hope this project will help develop truly inclusive and compassionate services by working directly with communities.

Chris Day, Director of Engagement at CQC, said:

I am pleased to see how much progress this project has made and I look forward to seeing the results of the testing phase due to start soon. The framework has been co-designed with a wide range of stakeholders and people with lived experience to ensure it is informed by their insights and experiences. The framework will support ICSs to better understand how people access and experience care, and inform how they use this to improve outcomes and reduce health inequalities. This is what matters to people accessing and using services.

To read more about this announcement, visit CQC’s website.