Health

 

The health and wellbeing of residents regardless of age or circumstance is of paramount importance for all councils, as is reducing health inequalities. We are achieving greater devolution for local government through:

  • campaigning for a greater role for councils and elected members, and ensuring local democratic leadership of strategies and commissioning, as outlined in the Health and Social Care Bill, emphasising the role and contribution of councils to public health in the response to the Public Health White Paper
  • building on our responses to the Dilnot Commission on the funding of adult social care and the Law Commission on developing a simpler legal framework
  • championing the role local authorities play in a future care and support system
  • increasing productivity in adult social care, health and wellbeing services and developing innovative responses via the grant-funded Ageing Well programme.

In this section:
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Health

Public health

The transfer of public health from the NHS to local government and Public Health England (PHE) is one of the most significant extensions of local government powers and duties in a generation. It represents a unique opportunity to change the focus from treating sickness to actively promoting health and wellbeing.

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Health

Healthwatch and community engagement resources

Healthwatch is the new independent consumer champion for both health and social care. It will exist in two distinct forms – local Healthwatch, at local level, and Healthwatch England, at national level. The aim of local Healthwatch will be to give citizens and communities a stronger voice to influence and challenge how health and social care services are provided within their locality.

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Health and Wellbeing Boards – integrated care and system leadership

Local system leadership is required to ensure that the totality of public resources are brought together to address shared priorities for health improvement.

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Sport

Everyone for tennis – Olympics legacy case studies

Local councils have been working closely with the Lawn Tennis Association to produce a programme of parks tennis for all ages and abilities. Read how it was done... (picture courtesy of the LTA)

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Children's health

The health reforms present an opportunity for children's health needs to be firmly embedded in the new health structure and for health and wellbeing boards and wider partners to work together to prioritise children's health services and develop an integrated approach to delivering better health services around the needs of children, young people and their families.

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Public health transition: progress report

Read the national report on the transfer of public health functions to local government.

Community Wellbeing Board

The Community Wellbeing Board has responsibility for Local Government Association's (LGA) activity in the areas of the wellbeing of adults, including health and social care. Board papers can be accessed from this link.

Last updated: 13 February 2013