A devolution deal giving Cornwall greater control over their health and care spending is currently being discussed, with an announcement by chancellor George Osborne expected tomorrow.
The aim is that by 2020 the area will have developed options for the management of a £2bn pooled budget combining health, welfare and social care spending, but the details are being finalised, the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) revealed.
A devolution deal giving Cornwall greater control over their health and care spending is currently being discussed, with an announcement by chancellor George Osborne expected tomorrow.
The aim is that by 2020 the area will have developed options for the management of a £2bn pooled budget combining health, welfare and social care spending, but the details are being finalised, the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) revealed.
Cornwall would follow in the footsteps of Greater Manchester, and would suggest the government’s commitment to role out devolved powers throughout England.
A representative for Kernow clinical commissioning group (CCG) said: “The Government has asked civil servants to work with Cornwall to develop those proposals and those discussions continue.
"One of the proposals in the Case for Cornwall [a plan from Cornwall Council which details the additional powers and freedoms they want from the new Government] is for closer integration within our health and social care community, specifically to work with the Government to develop solutions to overcome the practical barriers to integration and move towards a single, ring-fenced budget for health and social care that is commissioned singly and locally,” the spokesperson said.
Cornwall has just one council and one CCG (Kernow CCG), whereas Greater Manchester has 10 metropolitan authorities and 12 CCGs.
“In principle, devolution fits with our ethos of integrating health and social care, empowering local communities to have greater ownership of decisions and resources, tailored to local needs. It could help to reduce bureaucracy and enable more resources to focus directly on local patient care and outcomes,” the spokesperson said.
The emergency/summer Budget will be held on July 8 2015, at about 12.30pm in the House of Commons.
