Health and Care Bill reached House of Lords 

Health and Care Bill reached House of Lords

Optical sector bodies continue to push for primary care representation in Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs) in England in the Health and Care Bill.

The Bill is now at the House of Lords Committee Stage, having completed its passage through all Commons stages before Christmas. The primary care bodies, including OFNC, are pressing for the primary care sectors, including primary eye care via LOCS, to be included by right as formal members of all ICPs in England. Baroness Thornton, Lord Hunt, and Lord Crisp proposed a formal amendment backing the inclusion.

The primary care bodies regard this as an essential part of the government’s commitment to transparency and better integration in local healthcare commissioning. Its need is demonstrated by the HSJ finding that half of ICSs have not published board papers for the whole of 2021, contrary to NHSE policy.

Read Briefing Paper here