From 1 April 2013, local authorities have been given the responsibility for improving the health of their local population and for public health services including most sexual health services and services aimed at reducing drug and alcohol misuse. The Secretary of State continues to have overall responsibility for improving health, but national public health functions have been delegated to a body known as “Public Health England”.
The legislation that set the devolution of public health in place is the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The report “Local authoritiesā public health responsibilities (England)” contains information on public health funding; how local authorities have been spending their ring-fenced public health grants and on accountability arrangements. This responsibility is being phased in until complete in 2020 for which the NHS have been providing funding for local authorities through the “Better Care Fund”.
Local authorities continue to be responsible for social services such as the duty to provide welfare services in the form of residential accommodation for those who are in need of care, because of age, illness or disability, which they cannot otherwise obtain. Primary health needs continue to be met by the NHS and disputes can arise over whether an individualās care should be paid for by the NHS or by the local authority on a means tested basis. The document NHS Continuing Healthcare in England provides information about the division of responsibilities between local authorities and the NHS.
In the meantime the future of Moorgreen hospital remains in doubt. I was promised by the Hampshire West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) that the NHS plans for the hospital would be revealed in January 2016. That date has been and gone and still no news!