Telford considers health alliance

Telford and Wrekin is the latest council to look at merging its children’s services with health services.

The local authority confirmed it was considering the move but could not provide more details. Brighton and Hove and Redbridge are the only councils so far to make a similar move.

Brighton and Hove’s children’s services will merge next month with the children and families division of South Downs NHS Health Trust.

A clinical director and lead manager from the trust will join the senior children’s services management team led by director David Hawker (pictured).

Hawker said: “I would anticipate that, with the parallel reforms in the NHS, the recent white paper and the emphasis on more integrated community-based work, a lot of local areas will be doing what we are doing in a couple of years’ time.”