The country’s first role of social services director and chief executive of a primary care trust has been “dismantled”, writes David Callaghan.

Barking and Dagenham Council announced that Julia Ross will now only work as social services director, leaving Barking and Dagenham Primary Care Trust to find a new chief executive.

A council statement said the arrangement was being “dismantled”. Council leader Charles Fairbrass said: “It is our judgement that the differences in culture between the NHS and the council, and the different accountabilities mean that this joint management is no longer the best way of improving services to the people of Barking and Dagenham.”

The PCT was given a zero star rating recently, which was identified by the council as the “clear opportunity” for the arrangement to be reviewed. The council was awarded one star last year.

The post was heralded as a pioneering move two years ago signalling the way forward for joint working between social services and health authorities, but it has only been copied in a few places, including Southwark and Knowsley.

Ross said: “I am disappointed at the current situation, but am pleased to see the council has identified the need to work with the NHS to improve local health and social care in the longer term.”

The council also blames expansion of the PCT’s work as a reason for the split, and the need for Ross to concentrate on her job in social services to accelerate the rate of improvement. She helped the department to be taken off special measures for the first time in four years in 2001.

A PCT statement said the trust was “both surprised and disappointed” by the council’s decision. A new chief executive would now be appointed.

It said there have been many benefits of the arrangement including significantly reduced numbers of delayed discharges, down from 75 to 10.

Ross was quoted earlier this year as saying she took on the dual role because she wanted to “pull things together”, and create a merged social care and health organisation.

She was sacked from a previous job as social services director with Hillingdon Council in 2000 after a fall out with members of the social services committee.