Wednesday, September 16, 1998 Published at 13:49 GMT 14:49 UK
Bringing down the 'Berlin Wall'
Health minister Alan Milburn unveils plans to bridge the care gap
Social services and the NHS are to be allowed to pool their budgets in a bid to demolish the "Berlin Wall" that exists between them and improve care.
The proposal is one of a series of "radical options" announced by the Department of Health on Wednesday.
They include an extension of the one-stop shop idea for some care services, such as physiotherapy, and putting one agency in charge of the care partnership.
Health officials say the proposals will bridge the gap between health and social services which can lead to costly delays in people receiving care, vulnerable people missing out on necessary support and squabbles about who picks up the care bill.
Some of the most well-known cases involve mental health patients who have been released into the community without a care package being agreed between health and social services.
Health ministers Alan Milburn and Paul Boateng announced the proposals, on which health and social services workers will be consulted.
Called the Partnership in Action, the plans includes:
The government is also looking at how health and social services inspectorates can jointly inspect services.
Alan Milburn said: "Too often the complex needs of many vulnerable people have taken second place to a system plagued by boundaries, barriers and turf wars."
He added: "These proposals will help put the needs of vulnerable people centre stage. This partnership approach will end wasteful duplication, make more effective use of public funds and give people the benefit of an integrated system of care."
Paul Boateng said what was important was "what works". The proposals are out for consultation until the end of October.
Health service managers have welcomed the proposals.
Better for patients
Karen Caines, director of the Institute of Health Services Management, said: "A whole system approach is better for patients and more cost effective."
"A new joint approach could allow wider benefits to reach the people who need them most, such as elderly people and children."
However, she said the proposals would have to be implemented at a "workable" pace and national guidance would be necessary to align eligibility criteria for services which carry charges.
There are fears one-stop shops run by social services could lead to people paying for services they used to get for free on the NHS.