The implementation of the new health and care system

The 1st of April 2013 saw the new health and care system in England become fully operational with its ambitious aims to deliver the content laid out in the Health and Social Care Act 2012. There are four key organisations that have been charged with taking on a range of responsibilities:

These are not the only organisations, there are others, for example, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the National Institute for Health Research and the Health and Social Care Information Centre will all play their own part in making the new system work effectively.

From a local perspective clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) made up of doctors, nurses and other professionals will have the responsibility of buying services for patients and the promotion of public health now lies with the local councils who have taken on this new role. Health and wellbeing boards (no longer in their shadow form) are bringing together local organisations with the aim of working in partnership with Healthwatch England—the independent consumer champion for health and social care—ensuring that the voices of consumers and those who use services are heard by the decision makers.