The Government is pushing councils and health authorities to work more closely and more efficiently to give residents the care they expect by establishing Integrated Care Systems (ICS). Dorset’s ICS was one of the first when it was created in 2018 and the drive towards a common approach to digital has dominated our partnership.

Dorset has one of the biggest health and social care challenges because of its demographics, with a much higher proportion of residents aged over 65 than regional and national averages. We have benefited from national funding to trial approaches to improving efficiency and have a few early, tentative conclusions.