Supervision & Regulation of Integrated Care

Background: This workshop is part of a broader international research agenda to build a shared knowledge base on a key pillar of integrated care – governance, defined as “the total package of leadership, accountability, and regulation within a local setting or region.” Integrated care governance and its three components differ fundamentally from traditional governing approaches. Our research aims to identify and describe their defining features .

At ICIC25, we presented a set of propositions on Integrated Care Regulation (ICR), which participants discussed and validated. Following this, an international Task & Finish Group on ICR was established to advance the work.

There remains a significant lack of empirical evidence on regulation in integrated care. Existing regulatory models are typically designed for individual organisations rather than for inter-organisational networks. To address this gap, the Task & Finish Group has undertaken comparative research across countries which have advanced in their integrated care journey: the Netherlands, the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales), Ireland, Norway, and Canada. Their regulatory agencies are expected to regulate integrated health and care systems. Combining documentary reviews and semi-structured interviews with experts and people with lived experience, the T&F has produced detailed case studies of how ICR is approached by these agencies.

At ICIC26, we will share key findings, discuss the alignment with the ICR propositions with emerging evidence, and invite participants to contribute to the next phase of the work leading up to ICIC27.

Audience: The audience will consist of integrated care researchers and regulators, as well as supervisors and inspectors from the care sector, representing different countries. There is also a special interest in engaging with leaders and the workforce of integrated care networks, as well as people with lived experience of navigating integrated care initiatives or contexts, to ensure supervision reflects what matters to people, communities and the workforce.

The workshop facilitators include researchers, international regulatory experts, and contributors with lived experience.

Structure (60 min)

• Introduction to the session and presentation of country case studies [15 min].
• Table discussions: one table per case study [20 minutes].

o"Summary-fiche" of the case study prepared by the research team will be at the centre of the table. Audience joins that table of interest.

oQuestions:

Ice-breaker: What has interested you within this particular case study?

How do the empirical findings from the case study align with the ICR propositions and with your own experiences in your country setting?

• Reflective feedback and dialogue involving the general audience [20 minutes].
• Wrap up and closing the session, and next steps of the Task & Finish group – the journey towards ICIC27 [5 min].

Outcomes: Ultimately, the take-home message combines our research findings with the audience's reflective reactions. Participants will gain insight into the country case studies and the defining features of ICR. The session will describe opportunities for continued involvement in the Task & Finish Group as the work progresses toward ICIC27.