A winning approach to care and health

摘要

By 2037, it is estimated that the number of people aged over 80 in St Helens will have tripled. The borough has distinct challenges that are also increasing pressure on services such as falls, mental health and high numbers of children with disabilities or who are vulnerable and need care. But while demand is increasing, funding is decreasing across all its public services which has resulted 'in an unprecedented sustainability challenge for the borough,' according to the council's award submission.The council and its partners realised two years ago that action had to be taken. If it was not, a deficit of £101m was forecast by 2020/21. They realised that health, care and community services were part of a fragmented system which operated almost independently of each other. To address the challenge, a borough-level response was required, and in 2016 the people's board was created. Combining the statutory duties of the community safety partnership and the health and wellbeing board, the new people's board extends beyond typical health and social care partners to include organisations across other public and third sector bodies. The board then agreed a mission statement: 'Improving people's lives in St Helens, together, by tackling the challenge of cost and demand.' Under its auspices the council, the clinical commissioning group, other NHS organisations, housing, voluntary sector and other partners including the police, fire service, healthwatch and probation began to explore how to deliver an integrated local care system.