Sustainability and transformation plan
In March 2016 NHS England organised the geographical division of England into 44 Sustainability and transformation plan areas with populations between 300,000 and 3 million. These areas were locally agreed between NHS Trusts, local authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups. A leader was appointed for each area, who is to be responsible for the implementation of the plans which are to be agreed by the component organisations. They will be "working across organisational boundaries to help build a consensus for transformation and the practical steps to deliver it".[1]
STP areas
- North: Northumberland, Tyne and Wear; West,North and East Cumbria; Durham, Darlington and Tees, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby; Lancashire and South Cumbria; West Yorkshire; Coast, Humber and Vale; Greater Manchester; Cheshire and Merseyside; South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw.
- South: Kent and Medway; Sussex and East Surrey;Frimley Health;Surrey Heartlands;Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly; Devon; Somerset;Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire; Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire; Dorset; Hampshire and the Isle of Wight; Gloucestershire; Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West.
- Midlands and East: Staffordshire; Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin; Derbyshire; Nottinghamshire; Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland; The Black Country; Birmingham and Solihull; Coventry and Warwickshire; Herefordshire and Worcestershire; Northamptonshire; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; Norfolk and Waveney; Suffolk and North East Essex; Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire and Luton; Hertfordshire and West Essex; Mid and South Essex.
- London: North West London; North Central London; North East London; South East London; South West London.[2]
This geographical configuration differs in some respects from previous arrangements - Regional Hospital Boards, Regional Health Authorities and Strategic Health Authorities because the configurations have been locally agreed, rather than imposed from the centre. They also vary very considerably in size, the largest having more than ten times greater population than the smallest.[3]
Staffing
Three of the leaders are from local government: Sir Howard Bernstein, the chief executive of Manchester City Council, David Pearson the director of adult social care at Nottingham City Council, and Mark Rogers, the chief executive of Birmingham City Council and president of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers. The remainder are NHS managers.[4]
Finance
The NHS planning guidance for 2016-17 states: “For many years now, the NHS has emphasised an organisational separation and autonomy that doesn’t make sense to staff or the patients and communities they serve… System leadership is needed.” It also suggests that the financial problems of individual organisations are no longer critical. What is important is the financial situation of the organisations in each area considered together.[5] Each area is required to produce a Sustainability and Transformation Plan by end of June 2016.
References
- ↑ "The leaders chosen for 41 of England's STPs". Health Service Journal. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ↑ "The leaders chosen for 41 of England's STPs". Health Service Journal. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- ↑ "Mapped: The 44 confirmed STP footprints". Health Service Journal. 8 March 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
- ↑ "Just three of new sustainability and transformation leaders from councils". Public Sector Executive. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
- ↑ West, Dave (15 April 2016). "The Commissioner: So much for the whole system". Health Service Journal. Retrieved 20 April 2016.