Care trust pilots given deadline

Local authorities, health authorities, primary care trusts and
NHS trusts have until the end of July to express an interest in
piloting the new voluntary care trusts included in the Health and
Social Care Act 2001, writes Lauren
Revans.

A letter and briefing paper inviting local partners which wish
to set up demonstration sites to come forward, was sent to the
eight NHS regional offices and four social care regional offices
for wider dissemination.

Pilot care trusts, which will be NHS bodies, are likely to be up
and running from April next year. Their experiences will provide a
“practical foil” to the development of regulations and
guidance.

The briefing paper identified housing and education services as
potential functions, which could be delegated from the local
authority to care trusts as well as social services.