Key Health Data for the West Midlands 2001: Chapter 1

Key Health Data for the West Midlands 2001

Chapter 1: West Midlands Geography

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Main Body

1: West Midlands Geography

12: Inequalities, Focusing on the early years

From 1 April 2002 a new NHS structure will be in place. The restructuring, its aims and context were laid out in Shifting the Balance of Power. In summary the main changes are:

1: Primary Care Trusts:

will become the lead NHS organisation in assessing need, planning and securing all health services and improving health. They will forge new partnerships with local communities and lead the NHS contribution to joint work with local government and other partners.

2: NHS Trusts:

will continue to provide services, working within delivery agreements with PCTs. Trusts will be expected to devolve greater responsibility to clinical teams and to foster and encourage the growth of clinical networks across NHS organisations. High performing Trusts will earn greater freedoms and autonomy in recognition of their achievements.

3: Strategic Health Authorities

will replace the existing Health Authorities. They will step back from service planning and commissioning to lead the strategic development of the local health service and performance manage PCTs and NHS Trusts on the basis of local accountability agreements.

For further information see http://www.doh.gov.uk/shiftingthebalance/initialconsult.htm.

Across the West Midlands Shifting the Balance of Power has created 30 PCTs and 3 StHAs. The location size and membership of these are described in Figures 1.1a and 1.1b and Table 1.1. To place these changes in a local government context Figure 1.2 and Table 1.2 describe the location of Local, County and Metropolitan Councils in the StHA framework.

	Figure 1.1a. Primary Care Trust and Strategic Health Authority boundaries, as at 1 April 2002. and the Black Country

	Figure 1.1b. Birmingham and the Black Country.

	Figure 1.2. Local, County and Metropolitan Authorities of the West Midlands