Innovation in local government is about improving the lives of the people in our
communities. Browse through our case studies to see the many innovative programmes councils are involved
in.
The reputation of the fire and rescue service in the public psyche means firefighters can often gain access to households where other services are turned away. This trusted status is enabling Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) to play a vital role in a Public Health England (PHE) pilot, aimed at reducing the winter pressure on NHS and local council services.
Hertfordshire based its work on topics jointly agreed as priorities rather than just what the public health team thought was important. Projects with too many barriers or dependencies were put back while higher priority and more deliverable projects were prioritised.
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and the CCG are moving jointly towards an integrated outcomes-based adult community health and social care service. This aspiration now also includes mental health services and early thinking has started for children’s services
Somerset County Council and Somerset CCG have been developing joined up care for several years, and this has accelerated through initiatives such as joint commissioning, an integrated data system, and the BCF programme. A model for ambitious, whole-system reform is now being developed
How public health became involved
When based in the PCT, public health was central to both NHS strategic planning and joint planning with the council. This role was maintained when it transferred to the council, with public health taking the lead for several aspects of the BCF and wider integration.
Wakefield Connecting Care programme, which incorporates the BCF, is a partnership between the CCG and the council, working closely with NHS providers and the voluntary and community sectors. A key element of the programme is establishing integrated care hubs – care closer to people’s homes through integrated teams based around GP practices.
The public health team has contributed to a five year integration strategy bringing together a wide range of adult health and care services. An important public health role is to identify high-risk population groups whose needs impact significantly on both health and social care services, thereby revealing a mutual interest for both NHS and county council to develop integrated improvement and prevention services.
Summary
Top housing priority for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets is reducing severe overcrowding. Overcrowding contributes to mental health problems and transmission of infectious diseases. The council is undertaking an ambitious building and buy-back programme, along with other innovative measures to reduce overcrowding.