Proposed partnership could see Northumberland council link-up with Harrogate NHS Trust

It is asking for the public’s views on a proposed Section 75 partnership arrangement with Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) in North Yorkshire.

The link-up is being proposed due to the end of a 10-year partnership agreement between the council and Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Instead, the council is adopting a new integrated care model which seeks to link health visiting and school nursing services more closely with other services which support children and young people and their families.

A Northumberland County Council spokesperson said: “In response to the dissolution of the existing NHS partnership agreement, the council needs to make a decision about how public health services for children and young people should be provided in future.

“We are currently leading a joint consultation on a potential partnership with Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT), aiming to link health visiting and school nursing services more closely with other services which support children and young people and their families in Northumberland.

“The consultation runs until August 15 and is available online at https://haveyoursay.northumberland.gov.uk/public-health/section-75-consultation/.

“The council’s view is that partnership arrangements can provide a particularly flexible way for local authorities and NHS services to work together.

“We identified Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (NHDFT) as our preferred NHS partner because we believe their approach to the joint development of services most closely matches ours.

“The services would continue to be delivered by the same staff, with their wealth of experience of the needs of each of the local areas within our diverse county. HDFT fully support the principle of local services being provided by locally-based teams.

“HDFT already provide services across the North East ICS, delivering the 0-19 services in Durham, Darlington, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Gateshead, and Sunderland, and are consequently well placed to work with the current team of health visitors, school nurses, managers and associated staff in Northumberland, to continue to deliver the excellent care they already achieve for local children, young people and their families.

“As the country’s largest provider of 0-19 services, HDFT have experience of delivering services in rural and urban locations and promote a “One Team” approach, working with partners to improve outcomes for families.”

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