Neighbourhoods to have a say over local health care

Proposals for a partnership aiming to put people’s own areas at the heart of healthcare are gathering pace.

Calderdale Cares sets out plans to develop services across agencies working together with health and social care organisations and the voluntary sector to bring about co-ordinated improved health and wellbeing for the people of the borough.

In February the council’s Cabinet endorsed in principal the Calderdale Cares approach to delivering a place-based integrated health and social care system that will enable neighbourhoods to develop at their own pace, aligning in-scope budgets and maintaining a shared commitment to reducing inequalities in both access and outcomes in health and social care.

A “memorandum of understanding” between key partners, which sets out the basis of the partnership approach to realise these goals, is also being sought and is expected to be delivered to Calderdale Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board in June.

Input from residents in their neighbourhood will be key to shaping what services will be available, says a progress report which the Board will consider this week.

It says: “Calderdale Cares expects to see genuine co-design of services with service users, patients and local communities.

“Clinical leaders, as well as local councillors, will make sure that people who live in their neighbourhood are involved in the design of services, can identify what are priorities for them and have good opportunities to give feedback about both proposals and the implementation of changes.”

As well as ensuring the services provided are what residents want, it will enable organisations to work together and share resources to deliver “holistic, person-centred support”.

And “hard to reach groups” should be given every opportunity to get involved in the design of services and all other aspects of engagement, says the progress report.

The end results should align with the Single Plan for Calderdale which itself will update the Health and Wellbeing Board’s health strategy, introduced in 2012 and now half way through its lifespan.

A Calderdale Cares section of the Calderdale Health and Wellbeing Board pages is soon to be added to the council’s website www.calderdale.gov.uk - this will be the main way Calderdale Cares documents will be published and can be accessed by the public, with neighbourhoods having a section of this webpage to both publish information and receive feedback from residents.

The Calderdale Cares webpage will include a “frequently asked questions” section.

Social media will also be used for two-way communication about Calderdale Cares, says the progress report.

Calderdale Cares runs alongside other initiatives such as Right Care Right Time Right Place which have already been subject to major consultation exercises.