The Northern Ireland Executive began consultation on the development of a new strategy which will cover the long-term future for the health and personal social services.
Source: Developing a Regional Strategy for the Health and Personal Social Services 2002 2022, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 0500)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2002-Dec
The government announced its intention to introduce radical reforms in social care. Specialised services will be created for children, with children's services brought together in 'children's trusts' (to be piloted from December 2002). The government intends to extend the principle of choice in social care; provide a 'greatly enhanced' role for the voluntary, private and charitable sectors; and give more freedoms to the best performing social services departments, along with more support and intervention for those which fail.
Source: Press release 16.10.02, Department of Health (020 7210 4850)
Links: DH press release | Speech by Secretary of State | Independent article
Date: 2002-Oct
A report said that the social care system must be transformed to combat the perception that it provides poor services for the poor. It proposed that by 2020 social work and social services departments should cease to exist, and be replaced by new professions and age-related organisations, with local government responsible for commissioning health and social care. It also called on the government to consider setting up a separate, dedicated child protection service to improve multi-agency working, emphasise skills and clarify staff roles.
Source: Liz Kendall and Lisa Harker (eds.), From Welfare to Well-being, Institute for Public Policy Research, available from Central Books (0845 458 9911)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
A report by a committee of MPs on the problem of delayed discharges from hospital called for a 'full and widespread debate' on the case for the integration of health and social care and their linkages with related services, such as housing.
Source: Delayed Discharges, Third Report (Session 2001-02), HC617-I, House of Commons Health Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/4, Digest 124, paragraph 5.1
Date: 2002-Jul