Local authority leaders have called for a new ‘national-local coalition’ that puts prevention at the centre of a modern health and care system.
Ahead of the publication of the NHS 10-year plan, the Local Government Association (LGA) is urging the Government and NHS to ‘work closer’ with councils to scale up prevention and early intervention services.
The LGA said Labour needed to prioritise effective integration across NHS and local government; strengthening public health leadership; and eliminating service duplication and cost-shunting.
The association voiced its frustration over the lack of clarity around funding and governance, especially concerning Integrated Care Board (ICB) reforms and safeguarding responsibilities.
It also urged the Government to act on adult social care in the short- and medium-term rather than wait until the Casey Commission issues its final report in 2028.
In her speech to the LGA’s annual conference today, LGA chair Cllr Louise Gittins, said: ‘Health does not begin in hospitals – it begins in homes, streets, parks, and schools. The NHS cannot deliver a healthier society on its own.
‘Councils are already leading bold, local solutions that work and are key to building a modern, joined-up system that delivers for people.
‘A Ministerial Forum, which brings together national and local politicians, would help drive real reform – built from the ground up, based on what our communities need and what already works.’
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