International law firm Trowers & Hamlins has advised Croydon Council and its NHS and voluntary sector partners on their new integrated health and social care service for older people. The first time a collaboration of this scale has ever been developed in the UK.
The new service is an alliance of those responsible for commissioning services, together with local providers.
The Alliance’s members are: Croydon Council; Croydon CCG; Age UK; Croydon Health Services NHS Trust and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
This alliance's objective is to work holistically with individuals (and their needs) and to harness health and care support to secure the best outcomes for older people.
The firm states that this is the most advanced example of integrated health and care in England.
Paul McDermott a Partner in the firm's Health and Care Group said;
"We are really proud to have worked with Croydon Council and its partners on this key integration project. There is a growing consensus that social care and health need to be joined-up – the Croydon Alliance is the first concrete example in England of how that can be done, and a model that is likely to be rolled out across the country".
Councillor Louisa Woodley, Croydon Council’s cabinet member for families, health and social care, said:
“If we can provide more effective support in people’s own home, it has a positive knock-on effect for both the individual and the wider health and social care service.
Joint working between council staff, NHS and Age UK Croydon colleagues will mean better care for Croydon’s over-65s, giving them greater independence to manage their health and wellbeing, and to avoid unnecessary hospital visits.”
