How are CCGs and ICSs different?
Not much really. Its more a difference in size, numbers of the public they are responsible for, and budget.
“Warning. This Top Tip is slightly technical. You can decide if it is interesting or not (!)” (“Thanks MyHSN” Ed)
So. How are CCGs and ICSs different?
CCG
A CCG (clinical commissioning group) is the previous local level of NHS administration (including finance) in the NHS in England. They received about 2/3 of NHS England’s budget (£80bn out of over £130bn per year).
This paid for hospitals, community and mental health, and a lot of other things. They started in 2013, and there were originally over 200 of them. They originally covered a range of population from 150-500k people. They have been phased out, by being merged in to ICSs.
ICS
An ICS (integrated care system) is a new partnership of organisations that provide healthcare to a larger area and population (than CCGs). Their aim is to coordinate services and to plan in a way that improves population health and reduces inequalities between different groups.
There are 42 in England, which started fully working in July 2022. They each cover 1-2 million people – i.e. roughly ‘county-sized’.
They formed by the merger of local CCGs, with local acute and mental health hospitals – and general practices (it is hoped) – and most other aspects of the NHS in England.
What’s the difference?
A CCG was a ‘commissioner’ (or ‘purchaser’) of healthcare at a local level, e.g. it paid for your care in a hospital (called a ‘provider’). They were not part of hospitals etc. In an ICS, the purchaser and provider is the same thing.
This may have advantages as it will lessen competition between hospitals, encourage co-operation, and reduce the tension between groups within the NHS.
Summary
How are CCGs and ICSs different? They are not, hugely. Most of the difference is size, with ICSs being bigger and having bigger budgets than CCGs.
Now you know 🙂
Other resources
https://ckdexplained.co.uk/how-are-ccgs-and-icss-different/
This video linked to this is great and explains how the NHS works, including CCGs.
