Join us for our next virtual Policy Forum on the topic of Public Services - Health & Social Care. Sign up on Zoom via the following link: https://bit.ly/3nURTEb
“We already know that we need a fairer system for paying for care, that protects people from the exorbitant costs that require them to sell their home. And that we need to get more money overall into social care and fix the funding shortfall. Achieving this will involve bold reforms, not just about funding, but also effective structures for oversight and accountability.”
(Health & Social Care Secretary, Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP)
In response to the 2018 CPF consultation on health and social care, CPF Groups highlighted that “Health outcomes are the most important measure of success.” Specific proposals included:
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Integrate NHS & Social Care budgets and consider making CCGs accountable to their local population by devolving responsibility to regionally-elected “Health Commissioners”.
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Publicise and implement the Dilnot Commission’s recommendations.
As part of our manifesto commitments to reduce health inequality and to treat mental health with the same urgency as physical health, the Health & Social Care Secretary has since set out two goals for the NHS: to extend healthy life expectancy by five years by 2035; and to increase public confidence in the NHS by making the NHS “as good at process and admin as it is at medicine.”
Questions for discussion
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Should the Government play a role in local NHS decision-making? If so, in what ways?
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How could the health and social care systems be joined up better?
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What mental health support would you expect from central government and from workplaces?
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How can we best provide support for children and young people’s mental health?
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Is there any other observation you would like to make?