Health plans approved by Powys

Plans for integrated health and social care services in Powys headed by a joint senior county council and health board official have been given the go-ahead.

Powys County Council has agreed to a pilot scheme combining the posts of Chief Executive of Powys teaching Health Board and the council's Strategic Director, Care & Well-Being.

Meeting in Llandrindod Wells the council agreed that the pilot would initially run for nine months and that the Chief Executive of the Health Board would undertake the role.

The move will allow a combined management team to be created covering health board services as well as the council's social care, housing and public protection functions.

"The move will allow the integrated planning and delivery of a wide range of personal health and care services in Powys," said Chairman of Powys County Council Board, Councillor Michael Jones.

"We believe our radical proposals are an innovative solution to the challenges to full merger and will be the first of their kind in Wales. The Welsh Assembly Government is aware of the proposals and is supportive provided we establish clear reporting lines between the two organisations."

Earlier this year a report by consultants KPMG highlighted considerable benefits, including efficiency savings of £6-14m, if the two organisations moved towards significant integration of their management and service delivery operations.

However the report also highlighted that there were significant obstacles to achieving a formal merger to create a new organisation.

"Plans for the proposed merger have not been scrapped but there are significant obstacles and for the time being the intention is to focus on integration. If the pilot is successful we intend making the combined post permanent," said Mr Jones.