South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw has been chosen by NHS England as one of the first areas of the country to develop into an integrated care system.
An integrated care system is another way of describing the ambition we have locally, supported by our patients and staff, to co-ordinate care better. In an integrated care system, instead of many separate organisations all being responsible for individual health and care services, this would be more joined-up, with a single budget and a single set of health and care aims for everyone living in the region.
Being designated as an integrated care system means that we will be able to break down the barriers between GPs and hospitals, physical and mental healthcare, social care and the NHS, giving our patients the seamless care they have told us they want.
On a practical level, being one of the first regions to develop new joined-up ways of working means that we can more easily tackle some of our priorities for change.
We will also lead the way in taking more control over the funding available from NHS England to support our plans for change as well as more freedom to make decisions over how the health and care system in our region will work in the future.