Formal consultation on integrated health and social care
More joined up working is on the way.
Adult mental health services have been jointly provided by staff in Warwickshire County Council and the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust for some years. Now mental health services for older people are to become more integrated.
Health and social care staff will be working in the same teams working closely together to make sure that people have easier access to a range of health and social care services. The council has talked about this with staff, customer and carers groups and other key stakeholders and is now undertaking formal consultation on the proposals on how this will be achieved. Customer and carer groups and organisations that provide services to adults and older people who experience mental health problems will also be contacted on the proposals.
It is proposed that social care staff who work in adult and older peoples mental health services are seconded to specialist mental health teams that are managed by the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust. A partnership agreement under Section 75 of the NHS Act 2006 will be established to enable both organisations to provide the integrated services.
Jackie Price, Integrated Mental Health Services Manager, said: "We believe partnership working makes sense because very often we provide complementary services to the same customers. Integrating our services will make sure that we do not duplicate what we do and make us more efficient."
If you have any views about this or would like any more information, please contact Jackie Price on 01926 406743 or by email on jackieprice@warwickshire.gov.uk before 18th December 2009.