Health and Care Bill paves way for change
Last week the most significant health legislation for decades became law when the Health and Care Bill received Royal Assent from the Queen, making it an act of Parliament. The act introduces measures to reduce bureaucracy, boost accountability, strengthen working between the NHS and local councils through integrated care systems and deliver an NHS that is designed for the future.
The act gives the government the powers needed to set up systems and structures to reform how health and adult social care work together and will address some of the longterm challenges faced by the country including a growing and ageing population, chronic conditions, and inequalities in health outcomes.
We will also develop new processes to tackle long waiting lists, built up during the pandemic, backed by £36billion over the next three years through the Health and Care Levy.
Integrating our physical health, mental health, and social care services won’t happen overnight but this act paves the way for that change.
Locally we are extremely lucky to have so many excellent health charities who go above and beyond to support our communities.
On Friday, I returned to Sage House,
our fantastic Dementia Support hub, to unveil a new project called reflections.
In collaboration with local shop Chiafrica, it has created a meadow of 200 steel forget-me-not flowers that will move around the county, giving people an opportunity to reflect on all the lives sadly lost throughout the pandemic.
The worst part of the pandemic for many of us was the inability to be with our loved ones in their final days or even come together for a funeral to say goodbye.
This project recognises that, for many, the bereavement process hasn’t been able to begin in earnest and offers an opportunity to reflect on that loss.
For those of you who would like to visit and reflect with others in the community, the project will be at the Chichester Festival Theatre on May 13 from 10.30am to 2pm.