0370 270 6000
Home arrow Insights & events arrow Resources arrow Blogs arrow The NHS and social care – what’s yours should be mine too

The NHS and social care – what’s yours should be mine too

17 March 2011

How will we fund the future care of the elderly? We hear a lot of public discussion on this big and difficult public policy issue. Today the King’s Fund, well respected for its impartiality and measured approach, has published a report (Social care funding and the NHS – An impending crisis?) warning that the current spending settlement undershoots current spending projections by at least £1.2 billion by 2014.

So services must be reformed. The King’s Fund calls for greater promotion of health and well-being by local authorities, a better understanding of local needs, and spending more closely targeted to those needs. All good stuff. But by far the most ambitious recommendation is to create “a single strategic assessment of the funding needs of the NHS and social care”.

In plain terms, that would effectively mean a single budget for both health and social care. To date this idea has largely been dismissed to the “too-difficult” basket. But times change. If the Dilnot Commission echoes the King’s Fund when it reports in July, the pressure for change will
grow.

Related opinions

80% hours for 100% pay? That’ll do nicely

As has been widely reported this week, some 3,000 UK workers are taking part in a six month trial to assess the viability of a four-day working week without any reduction in their normal pay.

View blog

Local Health Systems: Relationships not structures

The Local Government Information Unit’s Local Democracy Research Centre report, there are calls for a reinvigorated role for local government as leaders of local health systems, to develop and strengthen relationships of trust, transparency and cooperation.

View blog

Right to Work Checks: Changes from 6 April 2022

From 6 April 2022, right to work checks on all migrant or settled prospective employees must be online and checks on British or Irish nationals will be manual (free) or digital (charged for).

View blog

Wide interpretation of “detriment” caused victimisation claim to succeed

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) decision in the case of Warburton v The Chief Constable.

View blog

View all blogs

Mailing list sign up

Select which mailings you would like to receive from us.

Sign up

Quick links

Information

  1. ISO 27001 INFORMATION SECURITY MANAGEMENT UKAS
  2. Investors in people
  3. Lexcel
  5. Plain English Campaign Approved

© Copyright Browne Jacobson LLP 2022 - All rights reserved