Advances in technology mean we are on the path to transformation in the prediction, diagnosis and treatment of many illnesses. Realising the potential of ICBs and the principles they represent is a critical factor in unlocking the potential of data-enabled healthcare.

There's a well-established principle in group dynamics that a group embarking on a journey or undertaking a task, can only move as fast as its slowest member. 

A similar principle can be applied to the challenge of two organisations attempting to tailor services to an individual service user, whereby it is often the ability to move data quickly and safely that proves to be the rate limiting factor. 

Of course there are examples where impressive progress has been made. The advent of multi-agency safeguarding hubs (MASH) which were first introduced around 15 years ago are good examples of different agencies pooling knowledge and making the focus of their work the vulnerable individual rather than the bureaucracy. Impressive though such examples are, they still feel somewhat isolated. 

If we applied data sharing between local government and health to a GGI maturity matrix, it would still be very much at the immature end of the spectrum. 

So, much to do. That said, there is also much to be excited about. The National Institute of Health (NIH) predicts that within a decade healthcare will have evolved from the largely ‘one size fits all' approach that we still currently have to a system of personalised, data-driven disease management, using specific tools to provide highly tailored solutions to individuals. 

The question policy-makers must surely be considering is if AI has the power to transform treatment, it surely has the power to turbocharge prevention too? It's well established that the social determinants of health influence around 80% of an individual's health outcomes; where they live, where they went to school, what their parents did for a living and so on. We can't be too far away from the exciting prospect of AI powered intervention plans that can help nudge people towards different pathways – and consequently better health outcomes?

That's all tantalisingly close, but still in the future. 

However, despite the incredibly exciting prospects on offer, progress will still depend on that critical ability to quickly and safely share data between different organisations. 

While much depends on technology and the ability to hold personal data securely and observing the principles of good information governance, there is also a role for leaders from the two sectors – and indeed for leaders from the voluntary community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector too, as they are critical delivery partners. Since the advent of ICBs in 2022, relationships between sector leaders in many systems have mirrored the immaturity set out earlier. 

The hard truth is that relationships are too often still suspicious and adversarial rather than curious and productive. 

It is difficult to see how we address data sharing on the one hand, if we don't have integrated leadership on the other. 

Realising the potential of ICBs and the principles they represent is a critical success factor in unlocking the amazing potential of data enabled healthcare. 

While unquestionably far from straightforward, it is a goal that remains in the hands of system leaders themselves and one that could be pivotal in securing the next significant leap in health and well-being.