Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his plans are for clinical chairs of the Clinical Commissioning Groups once those Groups are amalgamated into Integrated Care Systems.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have published a human resources framework, co-developed with stakeholders, which sets out principles and guidance to support local organisations implement a safe and effective transition of staff from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to integrated care boards (ICBs). Whilst staff below board level in CCGs are protected by an ‘employment commitment', this does not apply to senior ‘board level’ roles which includes those in the current CCG governing bodies. The framework recognises the need to retain clinical leadership talent wherever possible as this will be central to ICB decision making and has set out a talent approach.

A member nominated by primary medical care providers will have a mandatory seat on every ICB and when designing and developing the new arrangements, NHS England has been clear that they should involve strong clinical leadership at every level.