Two new health devolution deals are to give greater powers to mayors in Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire.
The first-of-its-kind trial will see NHS England appoint new NHS ICB chairs in each areas who will also serve as the mayor's health commissioner.
Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: ‘Andy Burnham and Oliver Coppard are two mayors who've placed the public health at the heart of their mayoral agendas. They have more influence over what determines health, in their regions, as mayors, than I do, as their health secretary. And their theory of change is that if they had more levers and more control, they'd spend money more wisely and deliver better health outcomes across their regions. So we're going to put that to the test with two new health devolution deals.'
The health commissioners will work with the mayor, local councils and NHS to drive community-level change and look at a range of local factors that impact people's health, including transport and housing.
They will be expected to support the delivery of the three shifts in the 10-Year Health Plan: hospital to community; treatment to prevention; and analogue to digital; and will support the mayors in their new duties under the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.
Lee Peart is editor of Hemming Group’s Healthcare Management.
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