Timetable agreed for Herefordshire's public service

A timetable for the development of the country's first public service trust arrangements has been agreed in Herefordshire. The council and the primary care trust approved yesterday (Thursday 20 September 2007) a 'roadmap' and a new working framework, which includes the appointment of a new single chief executive for both organisations.

The concept of a public service trust is designed to provide high quality seamless services, develop services that are efficient and demonstrate value for money and retain decision-making on public services within Herefordshire.

The council's cabinet and the primary care trust board met separately to consider a recommended timetable. They each endorsed the appointment of a single chief executive to take forward the public service trust. This could take place over the next few weeks. It was also agreed that an interim public service trust board be set up by January, with public service trust arrangements formalised by September 2008.

The result of the public consultation during the summer, in which 57 per cent of responses were in favour of a public service trust, paved the way for the next stage.

The public service trust proposal also takes into account the recommendations of the council's health scrutiny committee and the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority. The timetable has also been influenced by workshops undertaken with elected councillors from the council, non-executive directors of the primary care trust and personnel from both organisations.

Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of the council, said: 'the public service trust will support and improve the health, well-being and prosperity of Herefordshire people by bringing together the council and the primary care trust to share resources and integrate the way public services are planned and purchased.

"It is all about making sure that people are served by the two organisations in a seamless way in future, making life easier for people who use our public services, as well as improving efficiency and reinvesting savings back into those services. Importantly, the new arrangements will ensure that people in Herefordshire will be making decisions about how services are provided within the county for the benefit of the people who live in the county".

Joanna Newton, chair of the primary care trust, commented: "Both organisations recognise the cultural differences in arriving at a shared and integrated way of working, and have a strong track record of working together. The benefits of moving forward to establish new public service trust arrangements are evident - there is a real opportunity to make a material difference to the quality of life for people living in Herefordshire. The primary care trust and council, as equal partners, have a strong common interest in achieving this".

The agreed framework will allow further comprehensive analysis of the financial implications of the proposals and enable focus in the first instance to be on the commissioning of children's services, adult services and public health.