Directors welcome u-turn on care trusts legislation

The Association of Directors of Social Services has welcomed the
government’s decision to back down on compulsory care trusts.

The removal of the clause from the Health and Social Care Bill
was confirmed by junior health minister Lord Hunt in the House of
Lords last week. This followed concerns raised during the bill’s
third reading.

“We have concluded that the best way to respond to those
concerns is to withdraw the proposals,” Lord Hunt confirmed.

“Although we agree that compulsory care trusts may not be the
right approach, the amendments that I propose leave intact the
powers to require the use of the Health Act partnership
arrangements in response to service failure,” he added.

Under these powers, the government will be able to require the
use of pooled budgets, joint commissioning or delegating functions
between bodies.

Chairperson of the ADSS health and social inclusion committee
John Beer said: “Removing these clauses has long been the settled
aim of the ADSS and other organisations that were deeply perturbed
at their presence within the bill.” The bill has now been passed in
the House of Lords and returned to the Commons.