County chiefs have this week warned failure by an overly centralised NHS to support radical changes to integrate health and social care risks opening a devolution divide between urban and non-metropolitan areas of England.
The claim follows publication on 4 March of a report by the County All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), which concludes integration is the only sustainable answer to long-term provision of health and social care services in county areas.
Entitled The State of Care in Counties, the paper found four-in-five counties felt their adult social care funding pressures were already severe or critical – with 84% citing it as their biggest single financial pressure.
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