Primary Care Services
Primary care services are split into four areas:
The ICB plays a crucial role in supporting primary care providers by commissioning services, managing contracts, and providing funding for improvements and transformation. They also work to improve patient access, support digital inclusion, and help practices adopt modern ways of working.
With effect from 1 April 2023, the ICB took on delegated responsibility from NHS England for the commissioning of Primary Care Pharmaceutical Services, Primary Ophthalmic Services and Primary and Community Dental Services. This is in addition to GP services which were already delegated to the ICB.
This means that all primary care commissioning sits with ICBs, providing a key enabler to our ambitions to better support integrated care and improved population health by joining up care pathways in order to plan and deliver better health and care for local populations.
The responsibility for planning, performance, finance, quality and service improvement transferred from NHS England to ICBs upon delegation. NHS England will continue to have oversight and will set standards and service specifications for the services and the ICBs will commission services within the existing national contractual frameworks and regulations.
The aim is to achieve better health for everyone, better care for all patients, efficient use of NHS resources locally, and support broader social and economic development.
