Publication scheme 

This guide explains what information NHS Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) makes (or expects to make) routinely available, and where it can be accessed.

Executive summary

This guide explains what information NHS Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) makes (or expects to make) routinely available, and where it can be accessed.

NHS Essex ICB’s publication Scheme is designed to signpost individuals to information we proactively release as and when it becomes available.

An organisation will proactively release information about itself within seven broad classes of information:

• Who we are and what we do
• What we spend and how we spend it
• What are our priorities and how we are doing
• How we make decisions
• Our policies and procedures
• Lists and registers

Services we offer

NHS Essex ICB has published information in these areas and will continually update this publication scheme as we grow as an organisation.

At present, all the information we proactively release is available free of charge on our website. If in the future, we make information available but do not publish it on our website we will update this publication scheme to explain how you can access it. We will also explain any charges that may be necessary.

Who we are and what we do

Organisational information, locations and contacts, constitutional and legal governance.

How we fit into the NHS structure locally and nationally 

The following web pages and documents explain the role and responsibilities of our organisation:

• About the ICB
• Essex ICB Constitution

Further information regarding the structure of the NHS in England

Organisational Structure

The organisational structure will be uploaded in April 2026.

Corporate Governance Information

Details of Governing Body members and other key personnel:

• Governing Body
• Governing Body – Declarations of Interests Register

Lists of and information relating to organisations with which the ICB works in partnership 

• GP Practices
• Our Partners

Location and contact details for all public facing departments: 

• General Contact
• Freedom of Information
• Medicines Team
• Patient Liaison Team

What we spend and how we spend it

This class includes financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement and contract.

Some financial information in relation to the ICB can be found in reports issued to our Governing Body.

Governing Body Finance Committee – Terms of Reference Please see our Board papers for our Terms of reference.

ICB Funding Allocation

A monthly-updated list of all financial transactions over £25,000 made by NHS Essex ICB, as part of the Government’s commitment to transparency in expenditure, available on our publications page.

Details of senior management salary and pension allowances will be available in the Essex ICB’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Staff pay and grading structures

Pay grade structures for our staff, clinical and non-clinical, are as per the NHS Agenda for Change pay band structures.

NHS terms and conditions of service (Agenda for Change)

NHS Careers Agenda for change – pay rates

Procurement and tendering procedures

Please see our Board papers for our Procurement and Tendering procedures.

Details of any contracts currently being tendered 

Tender opportunities will be advertised via Contracts Finder and via Attain’s Bravo site (under View Current Opportunities – on the right hand side of the page)

List of contracts awarded and their value

List of contracts awarded will be added here soon.

What are our priorities and how are we doing

Strategy and performance information, plans, assessments, inspections and reviews 

NHS Essex ICB Constitution 

The Constitution sets out the arrangements made by NHS Essex Integrated Care Board to meet its responsibilities for commissioning care for the people for whom it is responsible. It describes the governing principles, rules and procedures that the Board will establish to ensure probity and accountability in the day to day running of the organisation; to ensure that decisions are taken in an open and transparent way and that the interests of patients and the public remain central to the goals of the Board.

Annual Report 

Essex ICB has now been established for our first financial year, which runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, inclusive. All NHS organisations are required by law to publish annual reports, detailing financial accounts, and to present them in public at an Annual General Meeting (AGM). The final annual report is also submitted to NHS England after internal sign-off. Our annual report and accounts for this financial year can be found in the attached below (when available). The purpose of this document is to look back at our key achievements, work areas and finances over our first year as a statutory body, as well as plans and priorities for the coming year and beyond.

Annual Business Plan, Strategic Direction and Documents

• Integrated Plan
• Plan on a Page
• Operational Plan

Performance Targets (KPI’s) + Performance Framework

For the Essex ICB Performance Framework please go to our Board papers.

Clinical Governance

The ICB’s clinical governance is located on website under Library – Board papers.

Care Quality Commission – Annual Check Results

The independent regulator of health and adult social care in England, who make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and encourage care services to improve.

Details of inspections on services and providers commissioned by Essex ICB are available on the CQC website.

Audit Reports

For our audit reports see attached link to our Board papers 

Governing Body Meetings 

This page provides information on our public meetings of the Governing Body, including future dates, attendance guidance and previous Board meeting papers and minutes.

Equality and Diversity 

Promoting equality and equity are at the heart of NHS Essex ICB’s values – ensuring that the organisation exercises fairness in all that it does and that no community or group is left behind in the improvements that will be made to health outcomes across the country.

NHS Essex ICB will continue to work internally, and in partnership with colleagues within the Department of Health and the wider NHS, to ensure that advancing equality and diversity is central to how it conducts its business as an organisation.

Further information is available here: Equality and Diversity Policy

Safeguarding Children & Vulnerable Adults 

Under the Health & Social Care Act 2012, NHS Essex ICB is, from 1 April 2026, statutorily responsible for ensuring that Essex ICB and organisations, from which we commission services, provide a safe system that safeguards children and vulnerable adults. This includes specific responsibilities for looked after children and for supporting the Child Death Overview Process.

Freedom of Information Performance 2025/2026

This section will be updated with information about how we have performed when responding to Freedom of Information enquiries.

How we make decisions

Board Meetings

This page provides information on our public meetings of the Governing Body including future dates, attendance guidance and previous Board meeting papers and minutes.

NHS Essex ICB holds board meetings in public every two months. This means members of the public are welcome to attend and observe the meetings.

Members of the public wishing to attend the meetings can find copies of the agenda and other papers on our website seven days before the Board meeting.

From time to time, the Board may need to consider agenda items which are confidential and cannot be discussed in public. If this is the case, a private session will be held at the meeting, from which the public will be excluded.

Our policies and procedures

Internal Policies

This area of our website provides information and documentation in relation to our Corporate Governance, Governance and Human Resources policies:

For our policies and procedures, please go to our publication library.

Lists and registers

Declaration of Interests

This section contains the Register of Interests, which is refreshed annually.

Others

• List of Main Contractors/suppliers
• Register of Procurement Decisions and Contracts Awarded
• Register of Gifts and Hospitality

Services we offer

Advice and guidance, booklets and leaflets, transactions and media releases. A description of the services offered:-