The announcement was made as Phil Hope visited an integrated health and social care service in Milton Keynes. The team is a single point of access for people with learning disabilities, bringing together local NHS services, social workers, dietitians, speech therapists and the local council to provide a full package of personalised care and support.
A new self-assessment tool launched today will give local health and social care services, like the Tower Drive Centre, the opportunity to join the new, extended integrated care community. Innovative services will become part of a new network to prompt debate, discussion and to challenge policy makers. They will share knowledge and best practice with the 16 existing integrated care pilot sites.
The Integrated Care Pilots community began with 16 sites in April 2009, looking beyond traditional health and social care boundaries to explore personalised, flexible and better joined up services. The expanded community will enable more sites to set up projects working across a range of sectors, such as childrens services, education, criminal justice and housing.
Health Minister Mike OBrien said:
We want to build on the success of the existing 16 integrated care pilot sites, working closely with their local communities to design health and social care services that work together seamlessly.
We know that, for example, patients overcoming substance misuse can frequently have housing problems or social care needs as well as health ones. By expanding the integrated care community we can help provide people with the properly co-ordinated streamlined support they need to help manage their condition or situation effectively.
Care Services Minister Phil Hope said:
If local NHS and social care services work together, we can cut costs and improve peoples quality of life. Our new network will help showcase services, share best practice and drive up the quality of care across the country.
We will soon set out a blueprint for a new National Care Service that is fair, simple and affordable for all adults in England. It will build on the best elements of the current system, such as joined-up services that provide people with seamless and personalised care and support.
When the pilot scheme ends in March 2011, the national programme will capture the knowledge and learning generated by all participating sites, to shape understanding and practice in delivery of health and care in the future. The participating sites will identify best practice and help sustain integrated services for the local community long after the pilot scheme is over.
