The NHS has launched a new group of health and social care professionals to “advise” NHS England and NHS Improvement on implementing the ‘NHS Long-Term Plan’.
The group, given a provisional title of ‘NHS Assembly’, is expected to include 50 people from across the health and social care sector.
According to NHS England and NHS Improvement board papers, the members “will be appointed based on their individual knowledge, skills and experience”, after expressions of interest are gathered.
The papers, published on 28 February 2019, note that the group will “bring together a range of individuals from across the health and care sectors at regular intervals to advise the boards of NHS England and NHS Improvement on delivery of the ‘NHS Long-Term Plan’”.
“The assembly membership will bring broad stakeholder insight and frontline experience to discussions, serving as a ‘guiding coalition’ on implementation of the improvements outlined in the plan,” the papers added.
The group will be led by Clare Gerada, GP and former chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, and Sir Chris Ham, former chief executive of the King’s Fund.
The papers said: “The chairs will be responsible for providing leadership to the group, ensuring its effectiveness and promoting the work of the assembly within the NHS and among wider partners.”
Submissions for expressions of interest to join the assembly are open on the NHS England website until 6 March 2019, with the first meeting of the group to take place in early April 2019.