Plans in place to transform community services

NHS staff across England are taking control of the community services they deliver in a drive to improve outcomes for patients and transform patient care, the Department of Health has announced.

From April next year, all Primary Care Trusts should have separated the commissioning of community services from their provision. All staff and services will be transferred to a range of new organisations such as aspirant Community Foundation Trusts and Social Enterprises, or integrate with existing providers. This is part of the Transforming Community Services programme which will deliver more personalised care closer to home.

The new organisations will provide more choice for patients and have a vital role in the transfer of care and treatment from hospital settings to help patients with their recovery or manage their healthcare needs. The organisations will support the NHS in its drive to improve quality and productivity, by encouraging clinicians to innovate to transform services, promote healthy lifestyles and focus on prevention.

Twenty six per cent of the value of community services currently provided by PCTs will, in the future, be provided by Community Foundation Trusts, and a further 10 per cent by Social Enterprises. Both of these innovative models have a strong emphasis on community involvement so that they are truly accountable to patients and led by local decisions.

Community Foundation Trusts will be financially more independent but still part of the NHS family. Eight have already become NHS Trusts and are on their way to gaining Community Foundation Trusts status, with up to another eight to follow.

Community services will also be provided by integrating community services with acute or mental health services.

Simon Burns, Minister of State for Health said:
“The proposals we set out in the White Paper aim to put patients at the heart of the NHS, giving them more choice and better control over their care. These changes to community services will enable clinicans to deliver personalised and responsive care and better outcomes for some of the most vulnerable in our society.

“Frontline staff will be in the driving seat to improve quality and integrate services to ensure the most effective outcomes for their patients. And there will be further benefits – frontline staff are best placed to provide the most efficient services so that local NHS money goes further.

“Plans are in place for Social Enterprises to provide almost £900m of services a year a major step towards our ambition to create the largest and most vibrant social enterprise sector in the world.”