Member Article

Green light for £7.5 million Hartlepool better care plan

Plans which will result in more partnership working between health and social care in Hartlepool and improved services for local people has been given the go-ahead.

The Hartlepool Health & Wellbeing Board recently gave the green light to the Better Care Fund plans which will involve bringing together a range of existing funding streams to create a pooled budget of just under £7.5 million for Hartlepool from April 2015 to improve services for vulnerable adults, particularly those aged 65 and over.

The Better Care Fund is a national initiative that aims to transform local services by making them more integrated and centred on individuals so that more people can be cared for in the community and outcomes for vulnerable adults are improved.

The success of Better Care Fund plans will be measured based on how many people are supported at home rather than being admitted to hospital or residential care, how people are supported when they are discharged from hospital and what people think about the services they receive.

Local plans will support a range of low level services that provide help to people in their own homes and communities, help people to live in their homes longer and improve services for people with dementia.

Chair of the Health & Wellbeing Board, Christopher Akers-Belcher, said “We have an excellent track record of working in partnership in Hartlepool and the Better Care Fund plan presents yet another opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives in the town.”

The plans have been developed by Hartlepool Borough Council and Hartlepool & Stockton on Tees Clinical Commissioning Group over the last year with input from other health organisations.

Chief Officer of Hartlepool & Stockton on Tees Clinical Commissioning Group, Ali Wilson, said: “The Better Care Fund Plan has approval from the Government and the Health & Wellbeing Board and everyone is looking forward now to its implementation.

“In putting the plan together, we listened to feedback from local people to ensure that it has a positive impact on health and social care services in the community.”

Director of Child & Adult Services for Hartlepool Borough Council, Gill Alexander, added: “This is an exciting new development and we are committed to making sure our plans enable people to get the support they need as early as possible.”