BRITAIN today is a country of extraordinary opportunity. We are one of the world’s most open economies and a technology leader. We are a hub of global trade. We have never been better educated, better trained or better connected.

But as Britain changes, so do the needs of its people. They live faster, busier lives than ever before. Families and communities are changing, breaking down traditional structures of nurture, advice and support. They need public services to work around them. Not the other way round.

Our ageing population is a great asset, but is more likely to suffer from long-term conditions and need help from health services. Nearly 17 million people in Britain have a long-term condition, and by 2030 the incidence of such conditions in the over-65s will more than double.

So, to help a different kind of society to get the most out of life and tackle the challenges of an ageing population, we have to make a double shift: to a prevention agenda; and to provide more care closer to people’s homes. To meet this challenge we need to empower people — giving more choice and more say to our citizens.

This week’s White Paper sets out how in England social care and the NHS will become a more powerful force to help to ensure that everyone is able to get the most out of life — for life.

The White Paper confirms the ambitious vision for social care that we set out in our adult social care Green Paper published last year — social care as a force for social inclusion and wellbeing in local communities. We want to ensure that all groups in society are included and given equal rights and that the people with the highest needs receive the support and protection needed to ensure their wellbeing. We also want to see that the risks of independence for individuals are shared with them and balanced openly with benefits.

Independence comes from letting people purchase their own services by giving them direct payments and individual budgets. We would like to see more of the same.

Matching individual budgets in social care is the greater responsibility that we have given GPs and local practices for local NHS budgets. They have a real incentive to help people with long-term conditions to stay out of hospital. People will have more say over their treatment, being able to work with their GP to determine the best care for them.

People will also have the support they need to take control of their own health and well- being. We intend to introduce an NHS “life check”, available to all, but designed to follow up people who are most at risk. We will also give more people the opportunity to learn about and manage their health conditions by trebling investment in the Expert Patient Programme.

In future the NHS and local government will be closer partners. The NHS and local councils will make joint appointments, draw up common plans and budgets, develop combined facilities, and work together to boost the wellbeing of the communities they serve and reduce health and social care inequalities.

People will quickly see the benefits of joint-working. There will be a single assessment of an individual’s needs and development of a single health and social care plan backed by electronic records to make our health and social care service as flexible and as responsive to individual needs as possible. People want a more personal service, a service that puts them in control. This White Paper is going to do just that.

Liam Byrne is the Care Services Minister

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