A guide to patient and public involvement in our ICS and its associated Engagement Model were launched in September 2022 to support those considering, and involved in, service change across the system to help them navigate the common legal and policy issues from the very start of a service change programme through to the final decision-making. It describes the current legal framework and the likely steps required to discharge legal duties when making changes to services. It reflects many of the changes brought about by the Health and Care Act 2022, and embeds the new statutory guidance issued by NHS England Working in Partnership with People and Communities: Statutory Guidance.
By service change we often mean a change to the range of services available or a change to the location from which services are delivered, but there is no single, generally accepted definition of service change and in particular no legal definition, so each case is assessed on its specific attributes. This might apply to plans to reconfigure or transform services to improve health and well-being, changes to specific services, new models of care, new service specifications, or local improvement schemes.
