– The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of a narrative to redefine integrated care from the user's perspective, which is being promoted across England.
– The content of the narrative for person-centred coordinated care, recently launched in England, is described. The need for the narrative is explained in the context of the failure of previous integrated care programmes to identify and deliver clear benefits to service users. The sources and stages of development of the narrative are described. The author considers its place in national policy, further content development and its potential to help those planning programmes of integration.
– A clear consensus on the need to define integrated care from the service user perspective now exists in England, and a narrative now exists to fulfil this purpose which has been developed by service users, patient groups, care professionals and system leaders. It has radical potential to change service delivery but this will be subject to the degree of local adoption.
– The paper is the first journal publication describing the narrative for person-centred coordinated care and creates a record of its developmental stages which will be of interest to system leaders, professionals and researchers in England and internationally.
