Posted on: 22 April 2022
Thank you to people who contacted our Partnership about the role of private organisations on the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.
Our Partnership response
Thank you for your email regarding the opportunities ahead for Integrated Care Systems, and in particular the role of the NHS within them. I fully share your desires for local communities and citizens to have a central role in the way we develop services and support for people across West Yorkshire.
Your specific views about NHS contracts and conflicts of interest are noted. I would like to reassure you that the NHS must comply with national rules and laws around procurement and competition. We will seek to ensure all decisions made by the integrated care system / integrated care board are compliant with those rules, whilst robustly managing any real or perceived conflicts of interest.
Our integrated care board, exists to improve outcomes for local people through addressing the wider determinants of health and ensuring a comprehensive, universal health service is in place which meets the needs of local people and communities.
The integrated care board has no plans to delegate any of its functions to bodies or committees that include private healthcare providers.
Members of the integrated care board and its related committees will be required to publicly declare interests, and they will be recorded and managed in line with the integrated care board’s conflicts of interest policy. Where and when any interest conflicts with the interests of the integrated care board, that person will play no part in decision making on that matter.
Healthcare services will be arranged in a transparent way, and decisions around who provides services will be made in the best interests of patients, taxpayers, and the population.
We are keen to hear the views of local citizens on a range of topics related to integrated care. Please use this link to our website to find out further information about opportunities to get involved and have your say.
Yours sincerely,
Cathy Elliott, Chair-Designate West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board