Health and social care merge in Wales

The Welsh assembly has merged its health and social care
departments, following calls in the Derek Wanless report last July
on resources and performance for a “breaking down of barriers”(page
11, 24 July, 2003).

Despite Wanless preferring “integrated thinking” rather than
structural change, health minister Jane Hutt has merged the two
departments under the leadership of Ann Lloyd, who was formerly
director of the NHS department. Professionals who fall under chief
medical officer Dr Ruth Hall have kept their own department.

A Welsh assembly spokesperson said: “The new structure of 22 local
health boards is seeing local government and the NHS working
together, and it was seen that central government would have to
adopt the same structure.”