Briefing / Summary of 2022/23 priorities and operational planning guidance

NHS England and NHS Improvement have published the 2022/23 priorities and operational planning guidance.

The guidance recognises the uncertainty around Covid-19 variants, transmission patterns and consequent demand on the NHS. It sets out a number of priorities for the NHS over 2022/23 to improve services and access, exploit digital technologies, invest in the workforce, address pressures in elective care, as well as respond to Covid-19.

The guidance has been published as the Health and Care Bill is still being considered by Parliament. In order to give sufficient time for this process to be completed, the guidance states that the establishment of statutory integrated care systems (ICSs) and integrated care boards (ICBs) will now be postponed to 1 July 2022. However, it is expected that local systems will continue to work together to develop system plans to meet the priorities set out.

This briefing summarises the key points from the guidance. The guidance should be referred to for the full detail.