Herefordshire seeks new joint director to plan and purchase public services

The pioneering partnership between the council and the primary care trust is seeking to appoint a director of integrated commissioning, who will drive the way public services are planned and purchased. The aim is to make sure that health and social care is delivered in a joined up way that supports individual needs much more closely in Herefordshire.

"The council and the primary care trust have a very strong track record in working together and we are now creating a completely new way of designing, integrating and improving public services, in ways local people can recognise", commented Chris Bull, chief executive of the council and the primary care trust.

"We also want to achieve better value for money that can be re-invested in how health and social care services are delivered. To this end we are looking for an experienced, innovative and creative individual who will lead commissioning services across the partnership. This is a demanding and very exciting opportunity".

Herefordshire has already made national headlines as the first place in the country to have a single chief executive running both the council and the primary care trust. Appointed in December, Chris Bull is creating new enhanced partnership systems and a joint management structure. There is a high level of interest in Herefordshire's approach at central and regional government level.

Joanna Newton, chair of the primary care trust board, said: "The vision for the new partnership is underpinned by the idea of commissioning joined up services that make sense to people who use the services, and ensure we deliver a better quality of health and social care".

Council leader Roger Phillips said: "This approach helps the partnership to design, communicate and link our services in ways that mean we can care for people in a much more coordinated and joined up way, so that services are effective, efficient and responsive to local circumstances and need".