Local Area Partnerships (LAPS) - January/February 2023 Edition

Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) are partnerships that bring together NHS organisations, local authorities and others to take collective responsibility for planning services, improving health and reducing inequalities across geographical areas. Pursuant to the Health and Care Act 2022, ICSs were formalised as legal entities with statutory powers and responsibilities. The ICS for Northamptonshire came into being on 1 July 2022. Statutory ICSs comprise two key components:

• Integrated Care Boards (ICBs): statutory bodies that are responsible for planning and funding most NHS services in the area;

• Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs): statutory committees that bring together a broad set of system partners (including local government, the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE), NHS organisations and others) to develop a health and care strategy for the area.

You can find out all about the Northamptonshire ICB and ICP at https://www.icnorthamptonshire.org.uk.

Integrated Care Northamptonshire (ICN) operates at a county level, so underneath is a new structure of boards, forums, and partnerships.

West Northamptonshire, which in this context is known as a “Place” has a Health & Wellbeing Board, and under that are two “Localities”, one covering the former borough area of Northampton and one covering the former districts of South Northamptonshire and Daventry. Under that are nine new Local Area Partnerships (LAPs).

North Northamptonshire also has a Health & Wellbeing Board, and under that are four “Communities”, each covering the former principal council areas of Corby, East Northamptonshire, Kettering, and Wellingborough. Under that are eight new LAPs.

The LAPs are likely to be of most interest to individual parish and town councils. Some urban LAPs cover only part of a parish (e.g. LAP N4 in Northampton), where some rural LAPs cover many parishes (e.g. LAP DSN1, which covers 56 parishes).

LAPs will “Represent local areas and give a voice to residents, translating strategy into local action by delivering the outcomes framework. They contribute to system-wide priorities as the delivery vehicle, providing a strong evidence base through quantitative data (digital footprint) and deep local insight from frontline partners, empowering local leaders to take accountability for local action.” Northants CALC is trying to find out what that means.

Two “pioneer” LAPs – N4 and DSN4 – have been in operation since the autumn and meetings of them have been held with GPs and members of West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) in attendance, but the governance structure is not clear in terms of how and when the LAPs meet, who attends, and how decisions are made.

Whilst the structures seem somewhat complex and cumbersome, the underlying vision is sound. A new strategy document, called “Live your best life” published by the ICP, includes a vision that “We want to work better together in Northamptonshire to create a place where people and their loved ones are active, confident, and take personal responsibility to enjoy good health and wellbeing, reaching out to quality integrated support and services if, and when they need help.” You can find the strategy at https://bit.ly/3Y4jLrt.