Health care integration recommendations released

The NHS Confederation has released a joint statement with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) to highlight ways in which the health and social care systems can integrate services.

Working together for the past 18 months, they suggest that integration should focus on cultures, behaviours and values rather than structural change.

Their recommendations to help services achieve this integration include taking time to work with staff and to identify key barriers to change, as well as developing multi-disciplinary teams and fully developing systems to engage with patients.

NHS Confederation deputy policy Jo Webber said: “There is wide consensus that integrating care is a good for patients and offers more efficient care. But people have been talking about this for a long time. Making this happen on any kind of significant scale across the system has proven more elusive than garnering positive statement of principle.

“This joint statement is an important part of the process to make integrated health and social care services the norm rather than the preserve of a group of unusually determined pioneers who were prepared to take risks and swim against the tide.

“We need to create the right environments in which local leaders are empowered to take risks, stick to their guns and improve care for patients.”

ADASS President Peter Hay said: “As we approach the formulation of the social care White Paper and the response to Dilnot we are moving into a critical phase in the development of integrated work with our health service colleagues. The statement we publish today marks a significant step forward in both our organisations’ thinking on the subject, and I commend it to all our health and social care managers up and down the country. It will prove to be an important weather vane as we navigate some of the challenging territory we are about to enter.

“The time for talking about integration is over. This second joint publication shows our commitment as associations to finding ways through the many barriers that can prevent the integrated experience of services that the public should expect.”