Oral statement on the integration white paper
A statement in the House of Commons from Minister of State for Health Edward Argar on the integration white paper.
Madam Deputy Speaker, with permission, I’d like to make a statement on the integration white paper.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a living example of the importance of working together as one.
Whether it’s the extraordinary success of the vaccination programme, or the work to identify and protect the most vulnerable, we were at our best when we were working across traditional boundaries towards a common goal.
We must learn the lessons of the pandemic, and channel this spirit of collaboration.
Although huge progress has been made in bringing together our health and care services and local government, our system often remains fragmented, and too often fails to deliver joined up services that meet people’s needs.
Thanks to incredible advances in health and care, people are enjoying longer life expectancies, but may be living with more complex needs for longer.
Navigating a complex health and care system to meet those needs can be hard, especially when services are often funded, managed and delivered separately.
People too often find that they are having to force services to work together rather than experiencing a seamless, joined-up health and care journey.
If we’re to succeed in our goals of levelling up our nation then we must keep working to make integrated health and care a reality across England.
Today we’re publishing the integration white paper, which shows how we will get there.
It is the next step in our ambitious programme of reform.
Building on the Health and Care Bill and social care reform white paper, which this government introduced to the House in December and September.
This white paper has been shaped by the real-world experience of people, as well as nurses, care workers and doctors on the front line, drawing on some of the great examples of collaborative working we’ve seen, particularly during the pandemic.
It will help make health and care systems fit for the future, boost the health of local communities, and make it easier to access health and care services.
It’s a plan with people and outcomes at its heart.
No more endless form-filling. No impenetrable processes. And no bureaucracy, which sees too many people getting lost in the system, not receiving the care they need.
First, Madam Deputy Speaker, we will ensure strong leadership and accountability, which is critical to delivering integration.
Local leaders have a unique relationship with the people they serve.
Our plans will bring together local leaders to deliver on shared outcomes, all in the best interests for their local communities.
And encourage local arrangements that provide clarity over health and care services in each area, including aligning and pooling budgets.
This is an arrangement that has already been successfully adopted in several local areas.
We have suggested a model that meets these criteria, and we expect areas to develop appropriate arrangements by spring of next year.
Local NHS and local authority leaders will be empowered to deliver against these outcomes, and will be accountable for delivery and performance against them.
They will be supported by a new national leadership programme, addressing the skills required to deliver effective system transformation and strong local collaboration.
Madam Deputy Speaker, integration supports transparency.
Joining up NHS and local authority data means we can provide better insights to local people about how their area’s health and care services are performing.
And with access to more information, they’ll be more empowered to make decisions about where and how they access care.
There will be a new single accountable person for delivery of a shared health and care plan at local level.
In practice, this could mean an individual with a dual role across health and care, or a single lead for a place-based arrangement.
Secondly, Madam Deputy Speaker, we will do more to join up care.
At the moment, too many people are bounced around the system or have to tell their story multiple times to different professionals to get the care they need.
This is frustrating for people and frontline workers alike.
There are so many opportunities here.
Closer working between primary and secondary care can allow care that is closer to home, keeping people healthy and independent for longer, and closer working between mental health and social care services can reduce crisis admissions and improve the quality of life for those living with mental illness.
This white paper sets out how we will get here, using the power of data to give local leaders the information they need to establish new, joined-up services to tackle the issues facing their communities.
Thirdly, we will make the best use of the huge advances in digital and data.
We’ve seen throughout the pandemic how digital tools can empower people to look after their health and take greater control of their care.
For instance, through the NHS App, or remote monitoring technologies.
Where several organisations are involved in one person’s care, there’s a real opportunity to bring together data safely to create a seamless and joined-up experience.
The white waper reiterates our commitment to having shared records in place for all people by 2024.
Providing local people with a single, functional health and care record that everyone involved in care can access in a secure way.
This will mean every professional having access to the key facts relating to a person’s condition such as their diagnoses and medications.
This will improve care too, with professionals able to make care plans in full knowledge of the facts.
Madam Deputy Speaker, we’ve seen a rapid expansion of digital channels in primary and secondary care services in recent years – but there’s plenty more we can do.
This year, one million people will be supported by digitally enabled care pathways in the comfort of their home.
This white paper sets out how we will open up even more ways for people to access health and adult social care services remotely.
We will also support digital transformation by formally recognising the digital data and technology profession within the NHS Agenda for Change, and including basic digital, data and technology skills in the training of all health and care staff.
Integrated care systems will be tasked with developing digital investment plans so we can make sure that digital capability is strong right across the board.
This means data flowing seamlessly across all care settings with technology transforming care so that it is personalised to the patient.
Finally, Madam Deputy Speaker, the white paper shows the part that the workforce can play.
The health and care workforce is one of the biggest assets that we have.
We want to make it easier for people working in health and care to feel confident in how the system works together in the best interests of those they care for.
And to feel empowered to progress their careers across the health and care family.
To drive this, integrated care systems will support joint health and care workforce planning.
And we will improve training and ongoing learning and development opportunities for staff.
This means creating more opportunities for joint continuous development and joint roles across health and social care, increasing the number of clinical practice placements in adult social care for health undergraduates, and exploring the introduction of an integrated skills passport to allow health and care staff to transfer their skills and knowledge between the NHS, public health and social care.
Madam Deputy Speaker, this white paper represents a further step in our journey of reform, building on the foundation laid in the Health and Care Bill.
Looking ahead to a future of health and care in this country with people at its very heart.
It paints a vivid picture of a health and care system with more personalised care, greater transparency and choice, and where early intervention prevents the most serious diseases.
Using the power of integration to give people the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
I commend this statement to the House.