On 1 April 2025, NHS England will delegate responsibility for 70 specialised services — worth £14 billion annually — to integrated care boards (ICBs). This transition marks a fundamental shift in how specialised services are commissioned, moving from a nationally-led approach to a system-level model that enables local leaders to take a more strategic, population-based approach to care.

This session will explore how the delegation of specialised commissioning presents a pivotal opportunity for system leaders to rethink and redesign specialised services, facilitating equitable access and addressing long-standing health inequalities. By integrating specialised services within local care pathways, ICBs can drive innovation, improve outcomes, and optimise resources across the system.

Through real-world examples of multiple sclerosis (MS) service transformation, expert panellists will showcase an early adopter system’s approach to successfully navigate the transition and capitalise upon the opportunity, as well as showcasing an example of service redesign through improved skills utilisation.

This session is supported by Novartis UK. This non-promotional session has been organised and fully funded by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd.