South west London is to become part of a new Integrated Care System from today with the goal of reducing health inequalities in each borough.

The new scheme joins together several different partnerships which to deliver health and care services across the area.

The six boroughs joining the new system are Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth.

South west London Integrated Care System has two statutory committees - The Integrated Care Board and The Integrated Care Partnership.

The Integrated Care Board decides how the South west London NHS budget is spent and is in charge of developing plans to improve people's health, deliver higher quality care, and create better value for money on a local level.

The Integrated Care Partnership is a committee that brings the NHS together with other key partners, like local authorities, to ensure that the new system is improving health and wellbeing in its area.

The Integrated Care System has four main goals:

• Helping local people to live longer, healthier lives

• Reducing unfair differences in health in different groups

• Making sure the NHS gets the best value for money possible 

  • Supporting the community by helping local people into training or jobs and sharing NHS buildings and spaces

The board held its first meeting today and discussed the next steps for Primary Care integration, addressing health inequalities in the areas, and looking for ways to improve care through population health management.

Millie Banerjee CBE, Chair of South west London Integrated Care System, said: “We aim to improve the health and wellbeing of all the residents of South West London.

“In particular we will focus on reducing health inequalities or unfair differences in health in different groups within our six boroughs.

“Working with our partners we can do more to support people to live healthier and happier lives, prevent ill-health and keep people independent for longer.”

Cllr Ruth Dombey, Leader of Sutton Council, co-chair of South west London Integrated Care Partnership, said: “Our partnership working to bring together health and care over the last few years for the benefit of local people continues to go from strength to strength, but we know there is so much more we can achieve.

“By working together, we can do more to support people to live healthier and happier lives, prevent ill-health and help people stay independent for longer.

“We can also take action together to address the wider-determinants of health, for example jobs, housing, education and our environment.

“We know these factors have a big impact on our physical and mental health.”