From Friday, Integrated Care Systems (ICS) will change the way health and care services are planned, paid for and delivered across England.

The 42 ICSs across England will be put on a statutory footing and clinical commissioning groups will be abolished, with their commissioning powers transferring to the new bodies. The intention behind these systems is to move towards joined-up health and care, to give people the support they need, in the right place and at the right time.

The partnership model is intended to bring together health and social care providers and commissioners of NHS services with local authorities and other partners, to plan health and care services collectively across specific geographical areas across the country, and tackle health and wellbeing inequalities.

The not-for-profit National Care Forum (NCF) said it has created a range of dedicated resources and information to help social care providers understand, navigate and improve the integration between health and social care as they work together under this new framework.

Available on the NCF website, the resources provide an overview of ICS, relevant guidance and case studies including an interactive map to help find local ICSs and partners.

Professor Vic Rayner, chief executive of the NCF said: “Social care providers, especially not-for-profit providers, are deeply rooted in their local communities. They bring hugely valuable expertise in meeting the current and future needs of their wider communities, as well as deep insight and understanding of the people and communities they service. It’s therefore essential that social care providers play a central role, alongside other local partners, in the shaping and delivery of health and social care services through the ICS framework. Their knowledge and expertise will ensure that together with their partners they can tackle the deep-rooted health inequalities and improve the health and wellbeing of people who live and work in their area.”