Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what support departments other than the Department of Health and Social Care provide to Integrated Care Boards to address social determinants of health and tackle health inequalities.

The United Kingdom faces significant health inequalities, with life expectancy and healthy life expectancy varying widely both within and between communities. Through our 10-Year Health Plan, we are committed to tackling the social determinants of health, improving healthy life expectancy for everyone, and halving the gap between the richest and poorest regions.

NHS England's recently published statement on health inequalities provides information on health inequalities that supports relevant National Health Service bodies, such as integrated care boards (ICBs), NHS trusts, and NHS foundation trusts, to fulfil their legal duties and take an evidence-led improvement approach to tackling health inequalities.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out that ICBs will be strategic commissioners of local health services, ensuring that the money available to each local care system is put to the best possible use: to improve their population’s health; reduce health inequalities; and improve access to consistently high-quality services. They are expected to draw on a deep understanding of population need and will need to shape commissioning plans through engagement with patients and the public.

As part of the 10-Year Health Plan a new commissioning framework is being developed for ICBs. The ambition for the future of strategic commissioning is that ICBs will continue to work in partnership. They will use their ability to bring together providers, local government, and other stakeholders to best improve healthcare and the health and wellbeing of their local population.

By strategically and intentionally managing resources and operations, anchor institutions, such as the NHS, can help address local social, economic, and environmental priorities in order to reduce health inequalities. An anchor approach provides an opportunity to create a clear link between the social determinants of health and the core operational functions of the NHS.

The Department works closely with other Government departments, NHS England, and local government to support integrated care systems, including integrated care services, to address the wider determinants of health and reduce health inequalities at a local level.