12.12.12
Health and Wellbeing Boards should lead integrated care drive
Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs) could take the lead on integrating care in their areas, offer a more democratic approach to healthcare and help develop a shared plan for their local populations, a new report suggests.
The report, by think tank the Smith Institute and accountancy body ACCA, calls for HWBs to evolve quickly and build broadly-based partnerships before becoming fully operational in April 2013.
Good relationships with commissioners could help HWBs influence activity and spending, but there is a need to include commissioners of primary care, dentistry and pharmacy on the boards. The report also recommends that providers, including private and third sector organisations, should be included.
HWBs could deliver greater integration and minimise the duplication of services by working with local government and housing associations, but three separate funding streams could prove a challenge.
The report recommends that HWBs must be clear about how local people can influence their work and publish their aims and outcomes in forms easily understood by the general public.
Paul Hackett, director of the Smith Institute said: “Health and wellbeing boards could play a leading role in enabling integrated care. But, given the cost pressure on NHS and adult social care budgets, these new partnerships are going to have to demonstrate fairly quickly that they can make a difference and improve outcomes for local people”.
Sharon Cannaby, head of health sector policy at ACCA, added: “Health and Wellbeing Boards offer the opportunity to develop health services targeted to meet the specific needs of local populations, but their success will depend on the commitment of all parties to improving service provision.
“The real test of their success however, will be whether all parties are still able to work together when difficult decisions have to be made around service redesign. With limited powers, only those built on strong relationships are likely be a success.”
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