Anticipating the new health act: messages from the innovation forum

Nine councils in the Innovation Forum for high-performing local authorities voluntarily set a target of reducing hospital bed days for people aged 75+ by 20% over the three years to 2006/07. This kind of objective was new for the NHS, as much as for local government. It was motivated by a concern among the councils that hospital admission exposed residents to risks to their independence and well-being which should be avoided wherever possible. They wished to demonstrate the value of the local authority community leadership or, as it has since become known, ‘place making’ role. Their success in meeting this target supports the new NHS White Paper's proposed transfer of functions and responsibilities from PCTs to councils. It suggests that councils can successfully adopt, in appropriate circumstances, the lead responsibility for ensuring strategic co-ordination of place-based commissioning in health and well-being.