First ‘accountable care systems’

Simon Stevens names the first ‘accountable care systems’

Simon Stevens has announced the first eight “accountable care systems”, saying they will be given control of up to £450m in transformation funding.

Speaking at NHS Confederation conference today, the NHS England chief executive said: “We are now embarked on the biggest national move to integrating care of any major western country.” He pledged to end “the fragmented system that passes people from pillar to post”.

The ACSs will bring together providers and commissioners to help break down barriers between primary, secondary and social care, NHS England said.

The first eight ACS regions will be:

• Frimley Health;
• South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw;
• Nottinghamshire, with an initial focus on Greater Nottingham and the southern part of the sustainability and transformation partnership;
• Blackpool and Fylde Coast, with the potential to spread to other parts of the Lancashire and South Cumbria STP at a later stage;
• Dorset;
• Luton, with Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire;
• West Berkshire; and
• Buckinghamshire.

Seven of the eight were named in NHS England’s Next Steps document in March as “likely candidates” to become ACS. Buckinghamshire has been selected as an ACS but was not listed in the March plan.