Health and social care integration
The West Sussex Health and Care Partnership was established in 2020 as part of the development of the Sussex Integrated Care System to deliver our Health and Wellbeing Board strategy and lead on local integration and transformation, and to tackle health inequality.
During the year, the council has contributed to the development of the Sussex Integrated Care Strategy, Improving Lives Together and the subsequent five-year Shared Delivery Plan. This plan captures our shared ambitions and priorities to improve the health and wellbeing of people in West Sussex.
We continue to commission a substantial number of local services with the NHS, with over £300 million of health and social care funds being jointly spent to support people of all ages with mental health needs, learning disabilities, neurodiverse needs (the different ways our brains develop and influence our performance), as well as supporting people to live independently with physical illness.
Looking ahead and what's happening now
We are prioritising resources based on the highest population health and care needs.
- Tackling the wider determinants of health: This means the range of factors that impact on people’s health. It includes how people access services and how communities can support healthy living for their residents.
- Addressing health inequalities: Targeting those with most need and prioritising key health inequality-related areas such as heart disease, respiratory illness and cancer.
- Adults’ Services: Supporting people to remain independent for as long as possible and deliver more health and care services to people in their homes and local community.
- Children and Young People: Improving support to children and young people so they can have the best possible start to life. This is being delivered through our health priorities set out in our West Sussex Children First programme.
- Mental Health: Expanding our support for people with mental health needs to address growing need. We aim to deliver the best standard physical health checks for people and to develop sustainable housing solutions for those living with long-term mental illness.
- Learning Disabilities and Neurodevelopmental Needs: (Neurodevelopment refers to the brain’s development of the pathways that influence our performance and functioning). To provide greater focus and support for people with a learning disability and for those with neurodevelopmental needs. We want to ensure regular high-standard health checks for people with a learning disability and to create more long-term paid employment opportunities.