In case there was any doubt about the role which Government expects from local authorities in reforming public services, the NHS White Paper reiterated it when it was released two weeks ago.
Councils will lead the:
- Promotion of integration and partnership working between the NHS, social care and public health;
- Building of partnerships for service changes.
Perhaps the time is right for the creation of a new type of service delivery organisation – the “Adult Trust”. The Children Act 2004 gave momentum to the concept of the Children’s Trust: organisations which would bring together professionals from different public sector organisations to facilitate the delivery of a truly seamless service to children.
That momentum did not last, but budget cuts are now a fact of life, and radical service reform is essential. “Adult trusts” could combine truly multi-disciplinary teams, pooled budgets, and operational autonomy. Further they could meet the Coalitions main public sector objectives – greater efficiency without compromising greater quality of care.
Posted by Chris Webb-Jenkins
0115 976 6175
cwebb-jenkins@brownejacobson.com
Related Posts:
Tags: adult trusts, coalition, local authorities, NHS, Public Services
