Government makes plans to bring together health and social care

The government wants to develop a new national strategy for adult
social care to bring together the health and social care systems,
writes Lindsay Clark.

The proposals, which will be expanded upon in a white paper later
this year, say the Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) and
the Local Government Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) will
develop a joined-up national improvement strategy for adult social
care. This will offer practical support through a range of
regionally tailored methods and approaches, according to the
proposals.

The government said the strategy would be developed in
collaboration with the Social Care Institute for Excellence, Local
Government Association and the Association of Directors of Social
Services to ensure future work programmes are based on local
need.
Announcing the plans, care services minister Liam Byrne said,
“Dignity for life is our ambition. A joint white paper will help
put individuals and their families at the centre of care.”

The government will also establish a new taskforce, linked to the
existing National Strategic Partnership Forum, to identify the
obstacles the sector experiences in delivering services in
partnership with health.

Byrne said £140m investment in social care projects, including
£80m for telecare, was designed to help vulnerable people live
independently.