“Significant progress” made by NHS Derby and Derbyshire, says NHS England

NHS Derby and Derbyshire made “significant progress” in its first nine months, according to NHS England.

The comments come in NHS England’s annual assessment of Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board’s (ICB) performance in 2022/23.

They have been published alongside the ICB’s first annual report, which was reviewed by its board on Thursday 20 September.

The letter from NHS England says: “The ICB has made significant progress in working and engaging with system partners to ensure that strategic priorities are aligned and that there is a developing approach to truly integrated health and care.

“Good progress has been made with leadership and governance arrangements, however there are some areas of operational and financial challenge which will require further development of oversight arrangements and focussed improvement activity in the coming year.”

The ICB annual report lists areas of progress and challenges over 2022/23. These include:

  • Developing new mission, values, goals and desired behaviours together with staff
  • Continuing to manage the impact of covid-19
  • High levels of pressure on urgent and emergency care services, including three critical incidents
  • Responding to industrial action by ambulance, nursing and doctors’ unions
  • Achieving targets for ensuring no patients were waiting longer than 104 weeks for treatment and the further target of 78 weeks, although the 78 week target was achieved in April
  • Work with partners to produce an Integrated Care Strategy and an NHS five year plan

Chris Clayton, ICB chief executive, said: “I’m pleased that the work we have done in our first year as an ICB has been positively recognised by NHS England.

“There are many challenges, of course, and our health and care system is operating under great pressure all year round.

“However, we are working together across our system, with partners, to seek solutions to the pressures we face in supporting patients and to address our longer-term aims of improving the health of our population and reducing health inequalities.

“Colleagues working in NHS trusts, in primary care, in our local authorities and the voluntary and community sector are all working tirelessly to provide the best care and treatment. We thank them for their work and we will continue to work together to help local people live their healthiest lives.”

The annual assessment letter and the annual report can be read on the ICB website.