Found: Correspondence from Baroness Merron - Strategic partnership between DHSE and Breast Cancer Now Correspondence

Found: From Baroness Merron Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women’s Health and Maternity 39

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 4 September (HL2266), what specific regulatory mechanisms or market-concentration limitation rules will be established to NHS acute trusts and private corporate bodies through Multi-Neighbourhood Provider contracts.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided on 4 September in response to Question HL2266, which, for ease of reference, is reproduced below.

The Government is committed to expanding integrated neighbourhood services through better use of existing resources, alongside reform of how services are commissioned and delivered.

The proposed Single Neighbourhood Provider (SNP) and Multi-Neighbourhood Provider (MNP) contracts are designed to support more joined-up, person-centred care by bringing together services that are often commissioned and delivered separately, helping providers to work towards shared outcomes for local populations.

It is proposed that the SNP contract would enable locally determined neighbourhood services and funding to be brought together within a single contractual framework, while the MNP contract would support coordination and integration across multiple neighbourhoods, reducing fragmentation and improving consistency of care.

These proposals are not based on a requirement for new national funding. Rather, they aim to make better use of existing resources by aligning incentives, strengthening accountability for outcomes, supporting the shift of care from hospitals into communities, and enabling providers to work more collaboratively around the needs of people and populations.

These proposals are also currently subject to consultation, which makes clear that MNPs would be expected to work closely with single neighbourhood providers, general practices, community health services, local authorities, civil society organisations, and wider public services to support the delivery of neighbourhood health services.

The Government will continue to engage widely with providers, commissioners, local authorities, and other stakeholders as it considers responses to the consultation, develops any final proposals, and makes decisions on their implementation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the reply by Baroness Merron on 15 September (HL Deb col 1073) that health and well-being boards "are responsible for drawing up the local plans for what the locality needs" to whom the health and well-being board is accountable if they do not deliver sufficient social care at the neighbourhood level

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Health and wellbeing boards are statutory committees of local authorities with a strategic role in assessing local needs and developing plans for improving health and wellbeing. They are not responsible for delivering adult social care services.

Neighbourhood health plans set out the agreed strategy for meeting health and care needs of a local population. As set out in guidance, these plans are developed jointly by local government, the National Health Service, and their partners, and form part of a continuous process of strategic assessment and planning.

Responsibility for the commissioning and delivery of adult social care remains with local authorities. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have duties to shape their local and ensure the availability of services that meet the needs of their population.

Local authorities are accountable for the discharge of those statutory responsibilities through the established local government accountability framework.

Found: Development Office Anna MCMORRIN MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Wales Office Baroness MERRON

Found: Previous employment/roles Founder, Pull Together Ltd and Lemonade Partners The Baroness Merron