§ 28. Ms Rosie WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to promote better co-operation between health authorities and social services. [23443]
§ Mr. BoatengPromoting partnership and cooperation is one of the key priorities we have identified in the National Health Service Priorities and Planning Guidance. We continue to pursue a number of initiatives to assist authorities to develop practical collaboration, for example through formal guidance and locality workshops.
Most importantly, partnership is integral to our broader development agenda. It is an essential theme within the White Paper, "The New NHS", which includes proposals for a new statutory duty of partnership between the NHS and social services. We have set in train a number of specific initiatives relevant to better co-operation between 199W health and local authorities: for example Health Action Zones, Better Services for Vulnerable People and our Primary Care Act pilot schemes.