Decision details

6.1    Aileen Buckton introduced the item. The following key points were noted:

·      The London Health and Care Collaboration Agreement is a London-wide agreement that has been signed by each local authority in London. The care act places a legal duty on local authorities and organisations in the NHS to work collaboratively to improve health outcomes.

·      The Agreement functions as an expression of interest to find further avenues for collaboration.

·      At the same time, regional pilots are taking place that are testing new ways of working to improve collaboration. The pilots have key themes: management of estates, developing of joint roles between local authorities and NHS bodies, developing community services, and developing preventative work.

·      A business case for each pilot needs to be developed that would outline what central government could do to help. The timetable was that each business case needed to be sent to London Health Board by June 2016. A draft business case would be presented to the Healthier Communities Select Committee before going to Mayor and Cabinet for a decision.

6.2    Aileen Buckton answered questions from the Committee. The following key points were noted:

·      The changes to health and social care presented in the Lewisham devolution pilot are part of the integration work. This integration has previously been consulted on.

·      It was illegal to charge for health services. In integrated care this was taken account of by people not being charged for the health care aspect of their care plans while still being means tested for the adult social care aspects of their care plans.

·      There was no element of devolution being proposed where local authorities would take on responsibility for health services.

6.3    The Committee made a number of comments. The following key points were noted:

·      That London health and social care devolution programme board had not made arrangements for scrutiny, and that some could questions whether this would lead to a deficit in accountability.

·      One Member of the Committee requested that it be noted that they had grave concerns that devolution of health and care would lead to further fragmentation of health services.

6.4    RESOLVED: that the Committee noted the update provided, and the documents tabled at the meeting.