The Health and Social Care Act: final stages and comment

Summary

This briefing covers the final parliamentary stages of the Health and Social Care Act, looks at key issues from the perspective of local government, such as challenges facing councils and health, and looks ahead.

The final stages of the Bill produced few significant changes that directly affect local government but there were amendments that are important, such as on the constitution of Local HealthWatch.

The Act was intended to shift power and accountability to the local level and to clinicians – the briefing considers if this has been achieved.

The briefing should be useful to members and officers involved in policy around health, wellbeing, social care and public health, to commissioners, to health scrutiny members and staff, and to partners and providers working with councils on these issues, including third sector organisations.