The Health and Wellbeing Boards of both North and West Northamptonshire met respectively on the 6^th and 8^th of September 2022. Both Boards agreed and endorsed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Integrated Care System (the ICS) and the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector (collectively known as the VCSE).

The Memorandum of Understanding can be viewed here:

The MOU is a high-level document which sets out the relationship between the System (the ICS) and those organisations that provide health and wellbeing services.

We all know that the VCSE as a Sector provides a range of important services, and brokers engagement in communities. The latest NHS Guidance suggests that the VCSE will have an important role to play in any ICS, and that includes Northamptonshire. The MOU will also be an important reference document when services are devolved into Place (through Local Area Partnerships). VIN encourages VCSE organisations to read and understand the document. The Health and Wellbeing Boards will review progress against the MOU on an annual basis.

Watch this space for more information on the ICS and its development over the next 3 months.