Government ‘joins-up’ system

pharmafile | May 15, 2013 | News story | Sales and Marketing NHS, NICE, government, king's fund 

The government has launched its plans to create ‘a truly joined-up system’ for the provision of health and social care with a commitment from a dozen key stakeholders – from NICE to the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services – to help local areas integrate services.

“People don’t want health care or social care, they just want the best care,” said health minister Norman Lamb. “Unless we change the way we work, the NHS and care system is heading for a crisis.”

‘Integrated care and support: our shared commitment’ sets out how existing organisations such as Health and Wellbeing Boards might be used to get a mass of different bodies to pull in the same direction.

These include local authorities, the NHS, social care providers, education, housing services, public health – because often those with chronic conditions, for instance, might have need for several, or even all, of these at one time or another.

The joining together of health and social care is a direction of travel against which there have been few arguments – at least not over the principle itself, although dissenters have voiced concerns over whether there is enough money in the system to pay for it.

Moving the NHS away from reacting to crises and instead focusing on prevention of illness is largely embedded in current thinking on all sides: chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in most of the world, accounting for an estimated 75% of global healthcare spend.

Influential think tank the King’s Fund has suggested that delivering integrated care must be given the same priority over the next decade as reducing waiting times was given over the last.

The government’s new plans include an ambition to make co-ordinated health and care the norm, plus an agreed definition “of what people say good integrated care and support looks and feels like”.

This has been developed by National Voices, a coalition of health and care charities, and includes what integrated care will achieve, such as “better planning, more personal involvement of the person using services, and free access to good information”.

New ‘pioneer’ areas around the country will be announced in September, with those areas interested in taking part required to make an expression of interest by the end of June.

Also signed up to the government’s ‘national commitment to working together’ are the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, Care Quality Commission, Department of Health, Local Government Association, Monitor, NHS England, NHS Improving Quality, Health Education England, Public Health England, the Social Care Institute for Excellence and Think Local Act Personal in association with National Voices.

Adam Hill

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