Social care is a critical part of health and care, providing vital services within local systems. The sector is an essential partner in strategic planning and designing better joined-up care to give people greater choice, independence and wellbeing.

Partnership with the adult social care provider sector is particularly important for integrated care partnerships (ICPs), as part of integrated care systems (ICSs), to realise their full potential in addressing wider health and care workforce challenges, preventing ill health and reducing demand on unplanned care.

To support these partnerships, new resources are available:

• Expected ways of working between ICPs and adult social care providers
• Adult social care provider partnerships in integrated care systems

Expected ways of working between ICPs and adult social care providers

This document has been developed by DHSC, NHS England and the Local Government Association. It sets out a series of five engagement principles for ICPs to guide their work with adult social care providers. The principles state that:

• all system partners should work together collaboratively to achieve better health outcomes for their populations
• adult social care providers are critical partners in planning, delivering, and improving care outcomes
• ICPs and providers should collectively support the whole adult social care voice to be heard in each ICP
• ICPs and ASC providers should build on the existing place-based partnership arrangements and locally foster new working relationships
• good practice should be shared across places and systems to improve health and care services

These principles can guide partnership arrangements and will help to ensure adult social care providers are involved in service planning in ICPs across England.

Adult social care provider partnerships in integrated care systems

This explainer has been developed by the Care Provider Alliance, with input from NHS England. It is designed to help adult social care providers understand and highlight the opportunities ICSs present for collaboration to improve care and support in communities.

In addition, it aims to help ICSs understand the value of participation and engagement from adult social care providers and foster a productive collaborative approach.