Policy paper

Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services

This document contains the following information: Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services.

This was published under the 1997 to 2007 Blair Labour government

Documents

Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email official.publishing@nationalarchives.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

This White Paper sets out the Government’s proposals to reform and expand community health and social care services in order to meet local needs, especially in poorer deprived communities. Four key objectives are highlighted in the White Paper: better health prevention services with earlier intervention; increased patient choice; tackling inequalities and improving access to community services; and increased support for people with long-term needs to live independently. Specific measures include: expansion of local care settings outside hospitals; increased joint commissioning between PCTs and local authorities to improve service integration; the introduction of practice based commissioning, where GPs are given more responsibility for local health budgets; increased provision for new primary care providers to compete for PCT contracts; and the introduction of a new NHS ‘Life Check’ to promote healthier lifestyles with a pilot scheme in spearhead PCTs by 2007-08.

This Command Paper was laid before Parliament by a Government Minister by Command of Her Majesty. Command Papers are considered by the Government to be of interest to Parliament but are not required to be presented by legislation.

Updates to this page

Published 30 January 2006

Sign up for emails or print this page