Rhion Jones comments:
We expect this to be one of the most intense debates on the NHS for years.
Instead of arguing it out with Sarah Wollaston’s Health Select Committee, Jeremy Hunt has wisely opted for a wider public consultation and it will mobilise all the national stakeholder groups as well as local politicians, NHS campaigners and the general public. No doubt there will be petitions as well; 38 degrees and others portray this as surrogate privatisation.
Much therefore depends upon the Department of Health and Social Care ensuring a 100% quality process – or an autumn Judicial Review to coincide with the Party Conference season will be the safest prediction of the year.
Article:
Health and social care secretary Jeremy Hunt has revealed that NHS England and the government are likely to push back the creation of the first accountable care organisations (ACOs) until a national consultation can be held on the issue.
In a letter to the Commons Health Select Committee, Hunt said the details of exactly how ACOs will work, including the contract terms involved, need to be made clear before more work is done.
The news comes in response to letter sent last week from Sarah Wollaston, chair of the committee, which urged the health and care secretary to delay the introduction of ACOs until the committee had been able to hear evidence on the subject.
Wollaston said there had been “a great deal of concern” about the development of accountable care models, and that there needed to be a public forum to air these issues.
Hunt also revealed that some of the legislation surrounding ACOs, which was due to be enacted in February, is likely to be delayed until the consultation can be completed.
In her letter, Wollaston explained that a consultation would be a chance to hear “both sides of the arguments” on the implementation of ACOs.
Responding, Hunt said that he expected NHS England’s national public consultation on the draft ACO contract, which will be released in spring this year, would explain “what ACOs are and are not,” as well as covering the terms of the contract.
He added that some areas in England which have already begun to establish accountable care could be “in a position to sign an ACO contract later in 2018.”
ACOs are part of an attempt by central government to improve the integration of care between the NHS, local authorities and other partners.
It emphasises place and population rather than specific organisations or groups, and is hoped to improve some of the issues surrounding the link between health and social care.
The term ‘accountable care’ actually comes from the United States, where ACOs, under a slightly different format, were set up during President Obama’s health reforms.
Speaking to NHE earlier this month, Duncan Selbie, Public Health England (PHE) chief executive, explained the way accountable health will fit into the health system in the future, with reference to the way STPs will work within the NHS.
Article originally appeared on National Health Executive
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