Local authorities will need to be at the heart of sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) if they are to succeed in improving care. Yet there have been points in the process so far where they could be forgiven for thinking their NHS partners don’t fully appreciate this.

Our latest work on STPs reinforced how integral local authorities will be to their success. We looked at the content of the 44 STPs and some of the most important proposals were those which will require local authorities to help drive them forward. Echoing the NHS Five Year Forward View’s ambition to help people stay healthy for longer, plans talk about a ‘radical upgrade’ or ‘step change’ in prevention and public health, along with ambitions to embed prevention across the health and care system.