Working together

At every level our aim must be to drive improvement in health and wellbeing for the people of Kent and Medway.

By working together more effectively across health and care integrated care systems will bring benefits for both local residents and the staff working in our teams.

Formation of the ICS

In Kent and Medway, all the NHS organisations and the Kent and Medway councils have been working together as a sustainability and transformation partnership (STP) since 2016. We became the Integrated Care System in April 2021. 

From July 2022, the Kent and Medway Integrated Care System has been given a statutory role. The same change has happened across England.

Read the full Kent and Medway Integrated Care Strategy for more information. 

Kent and Medway Integrated Care Strategy

 

Illustration of two staff members helping an elderly lady walk

We have four key purposes:

  • improving outcomes in population health and healthcare
  • tackling inequalities in outcomes, experience and access
  • enhancing productivity and value for money
  • supporting broader social and economic development.
Illustration of people holding parts of the ICS logo

Collaborating as an ICS

Collaborating as an ICS will help us tackle complex challenges, including:

  • improving the health of children and young people
  • supporting people to stay well and independent
  • acting sooner to help those with preventable conditions
  • supporting those with long-term conditions or mental health issues
  • caring for those with multiple needs as populations age
  • getting the best from collective resources so people get care as quickly as possible.

Our partners

NHS

Councils

Community and voluntary/patient representatives

Integrated Care Partnership

Integrated Care Partnership (ICP)

All system partners are represented on a statutory committee, formally called the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP). 

The ICP brings together a broad alliance of  partners concerned with improving the care, health and wellbeing of the population. 

The ICP is responsible for producing a five-year integrated care strategy on how to meet the health and wellbeing needs of the population in the ICS area. 

Place and neighbourhood focus

Within the Kent and Medway Integrated Care System there are two, more local, levels of partnerships to improve health and care services for residents.

  • Four Health and care partnerships drawing together all provider NHS organisations in a given area and working more closely with social care.
    • Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley
    • East Kent
    • Medway and Swale
    • West Kent.
  • Primary care networks, these are groups of general practices across Kent and Medway. A primary care network (PCN) includes groups of general practices working together, and in partnership with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services in their local area, to offer more personalised, coordinated health and social care to the people living in their area.

Benefits for local people

  • More support to stay fit and well before things become a problem.
  • Better access to the care you need, when you need it, in a way that suits you: Evenings, weekends, over the phone, by video link or face-to-face with a physio, nurse, clinical pharmacist, GP, or support from a non-medical service.
  • More focus on your physical and mental health and wellbeing - on what matters to you, not the condition or disease you may have.
  • More care out-of-hospital, with staff working together as a single team across organisations to help people stay as well as possible and get the care they need when they need it.
  • Better identification of the issues that need tackling and a real focus on quality services, wherever they are provided.

Benefits for staff

  • Higher job satisfaction; working in teams is less isolated and more rewarding.
  • Better work/life balance with each professional able to focus on what they do best.
  • Greater resilience and less risk of burnout.
  • Greater influence on how resources are used to best effect for patients.