NHS England has shared a planning framework to set core principles and key planning activities for local leaders on shaping five-year intreated plans covering 2026/27 – 2030/31.
For the initial phase, NHS England is asking ICBs and providers to establish clear responsibilities and a multidisciplinary team to coordinate activities across functions for assessing organisational capability, capacity and preparedness. It notes for all organisations to prepare “credible, integrated five-year plans and demonstrate how financial sustainability will be secured over the medium term”.
Planning should be built around five core principles to be outcome-focused, accountable and transparent, evidence-based, multidisciplinary, and credible and deliverable. It must be anchored in delivering tangible and measurable improvements in outcomes for patients and the public, and supported by governance structures offering transparency and oversight. It notes the role of analytical foundations including population health analysis and demand and capacity modelling, and a clear articulation of resources and other constraints.
ICBs will set the overall system strategy to inform allocation of resources, lead system-level strategic planning including use of resources, set commissioning intentions, coordinate system-wide planning activities, and work closely with their region where a multi-ICB response is required. Boards should ensure plans are evidence-based and that they align with the wider system strategy and national ambitions, it continues, as well as setting conditions for continuous improvement.
On the development of integrated plans, the requirement is to build on population health improvement and clinical strategies that reflect local needs and national ambitions. At a minimum, this includes a common dataset and shared set of planning assumptions, as well as regular reconciliation meetings. Integrated plans are to bring together digital, workforce, service, infrastructure, financial and quality improvement plans.
Phase one will run to the end of September, with NHS England and DHSC working together to “translate the 10 Year Health Plan and spending review outcome into specific multi-year priorities and allocations”. This will then move into phase two at the end of September with the expected publication of multi-year guidance and financial allocations to inform ICBs and providers in the development of their medium-term plans, as well as board assurance and sign-off in December.
Strategy and planning from NHS England
NHS England has launched guidance for trust boards on assessing provider capability, intended to inform a self-assessment, with an emphasis on digital maturity and plans, and data capabilities. It sets out six areas to be assessed on an annual basis, along with associated indicative evidence, covering: strategy, leadership, and planning; quality of care; people and culture; access and delivery of services; productivity and value for money; and financial performance and oversight.
NHS England also outlined ways non-executive directors can contribute to keeping their organisation safe from cyber attack, with Jamie Saunders, non-executive chair of the NHS England Cyber Security Risk Committee, noting, “boards throughout the NHS have a key role to play in safeguarding patients from this risk.” The aim is to provide a resource to support, understand and deal with cyber security risks, and how external assessments provide insights, along with what questions to ask yourself, the board, and the questions the board should ask.
Another area of focus has been the Single Patient Record, with NHS England seeking engagement with the public and suppliers on development, highlighting key expectations around access, transparency, interoperability, and data ownership. Almost 100 suppliers and organisations responded to NHS England’s request for information on the SPR, setting out requirements for interoperability, clear data standards, a modular approach, and continued engagement with stakeholders to ensure development remains rooted in user needs “at every stage”. Clarity is sought by suppliers on data ownership and stewardship, ensuring data is recorded in a consistent way, and focusing on systems working together to enable information updated in one place to be automatically updated everywhere it is needed.
