Jo Webber, deputy director of policy at the NHS Confederation chaired this policy workshop at the Confederation offices in London. The workshop brought together chief executives, chairs, NEDs and executive board directors from PCT Network member organisations.
The aim of this workshop was to help the PCT Network and the Confederation to shape its response to the green paper.
Jo Webber started the morning with a presentation on the green paper. This outlined the background to the paper, such as the increasing need for care amongst an ageing population. The fundamental principles behind this paper, that need to be addressed going forward, include issues such as fair treatment for all, better accessibility to quality care and a fairer, more consistent form of means testing, across the country.
The green paper highlights the need for an improved level of services. Delegates agreed with this and also highlighted that there needs to be a better integration of services and co-operation between service providers within care pathways. Commissioners and providers also need to strive towards a wider range of services, and better innovation, for their local communities.
A key issue of the new, proposed national care service is funding. How will this service be funded? The Department of Health has proposed a number of options for funding. The debate continues around whether this system should be fully tax-funded, though the more likely options seems to be an ‘insurance based’ system of funding. The question around whether this service should be locally or nationally funded was also debated. The issue of regional variances in the cost of funding care was raised during this discussion.
You can read Jo Webber’s presentation here. The NHS Confederation briefing on ‘shaping the future together’ is available to download.
If you have any comments on the green paper or would like to share your views or experiences, please contact Jo Webber at jo.webber@nhsconfed.org
For more information on the green paper please visit the Department of Health website. You can also visit the Care and Support website.