New health and social services team set to control strategic planning in Norfolk

A joint health and social services team in Norfolk will be
responsible for both authorities’ strategic planning if proposals
are approved.

A special joint meeting of Norfolk Council and Norfolk Health
Authority to vote on the unique proposal was due to go ahead as
Community Care went to press. If the vote is in favour, it will
bring the health authority’s health improvement team and the social
services department’s strategic planning team under the leadership
of Paul Adams, senior assistant social services director, from
April.

The team will produce a three-year plan to show how Norfolk will
implement the national NHS plan through a joint plan for health and
social care services.

A second proposal to establish a joint project board will also
be voted on at the meeting. The board will consist of members and
officers from both authorities who will examine whether there are
further benefits to be had from working closer together where it is
in the long term interests of patients and clients. Preliminary
recommendations will be made to the two authorities after six
months, with a view to a phased implementation of any agreed
recommendations during 2002-3.

The proposals follow the direction for partnership between
health and social services set by Herefordshire last year, when
social services and housing director Richard Humphries was
appointed as chief executive of the health authority at the same
time. In Barking & Dagenham, social services director Julia
Ross was recently appointed chief executive of the local primary
care trust.