Making partnership work

Abstract

The Department of Health recently issued draft guidance that will require the NHS and the community and voluntary sectors to sign up to local compact agreements by 2004. The overall aim is to promote partnership working to support the voluntary and community sectors’ growing role in contributing to health service and social care delivery. This is seen to be complementary to their distinct roles in relation to promoting health and social inclusion, and in lobbying and advocacy (Department of Health, 2003). While there is considerable research on joint working between the twin peaks of the NHS and local council social services, there is limited evidence on the interplay with the voluntary and community sectors (Andrews et al, 2003). To redress the balance, this article draws on some of the lessons to emerge from the Help the Aged intermediate care programme for older people. Intermediate care lends itself well to analysis in this area because it depends on the integration of services to promote faster recovery from illness, prevent unnecessary acute hospital admissions, support timely discharge and maximise independent living (Department of Health, 2001). Although intermediate care is not specifically targeted at older people, this group forms the great majority of its users. Development of intermediate care was a key standard for the National Service Framework for Older People issued in 2001.