Adult social care directors have already moved to meet the new challenges in health services.
The ADASS, which represents directors of adult services, announced it was streamlining the way it was organised, so it could help members meet demand for personalised services.The announcement followed a special meeting of its executive council in Birmingham to review the Health White Paper.
Among the changes will be a new group tasked with defining a vision for the future of adult social care. An integration board will set out opportunities and possible models for effectively linking adult social care, local government and the development of area-based budgeting.
President, Richard Jones, said: ‘Integration with a newly-reconfigured health services is clearly going to be a major way in which services for older people, and people with disabilities and mental health issues will be improved in the coming years.
‘Directors of adult social services are going to be very much up for making sure that the people for whom we have responsibilities get the maximum benefit from the changes already under way.’