Press release: NHS Confederation comments on Local Government White Paper

26 Oct 2006

Commenting on the White Paper on reforming local government which has been published today, Jo Webber, deputy director of policy at the NHS Confederation which represents over 90 per cent of NHS organisations, said:

"Overall we welcome the direction of travel outlined in today's White Paper.

"However we are concerned about the scope to change the boundaries for local authorities.  Recent experience of PCT restructuring has been painful and has hindered rather than helped trusts improve patient care.  This was reflected in the recent annual health check.  In any reorganisation, we must be certain that the benefits outweigh the costs. 

"There is currently 70 per cent coterminosity between primary care trust boundaries and those of local authorities - we would not want this figure to reduce. A reduction in coterminous boundaries would be disappointing given that increasing coterminosity was a key objective of the recent reorganisations in primary care.

"In addition, we must ensure that closer working relationships between local authorities and primary care trusts include clinicians. Practice based commissioners need to be part of the equation.  A recent Confederation poll of NHS primary care trust chief executives showed that only 25 per cent of respondents had processes that linked their practice based commissioners into the joint commissioning process.

"We would hope the new arrangements outlined in the White Paper help this figure to increase and facilitate better working partnerships between these two groups. It is only by linking all local services together that we will achieve seamless, fully integrated health and social care for local patients.

"Our members will be particularly pleased to see that Local Area Agreements will no longer be rigidly structured but will move to a more fluid system of themes. This should allow health to become a more significant player as it will hopefully not be marginalised but can be part of every theme, enabling better joint working and more integration between health and social care."

ENDS

Notes for editors

1. In August 2006, NHS PCT chief executives were asked: Do you have processes that link your practice based commissioners/groups into the joint commissioning process locally? (36 respondents)Yes: 25%
   No:  36%
   In the process of setting one up: 0%
   
2. The NHS Confederation represents more than 90% of the organisations that make up the NHS. Its members include the majority of NHS acute trusts, ambulance trusts, foundation trusts, mental health trusts, primary care trusts, special health authorities and strategic health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.

 

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