Regular readers will have noticed that the relationship between integration and competition is an topic upon which I have posted a couple of times in the last few weeks. In my view all the commentators pointing out the importance of creating integrated care services for the NHS are correct.

The NHS has developed an episodic care service that is appropriate for episodic illness, but is simply unsuited to caring for long term conditions. Add to this the split between primary and secondary care and you have a model of service that is in no way fit to manage the 75% of NHS resource that is spent on long term conditions.