A new era of partnerships between English councils and NHS organisations is being forged in the heat of efforts to deal with the twin pressures of growing demand on services and deepening financial austerity.

The changes come amid recognition that traditional models of care based around expensive hospitals are no longer sustainable, leading to a shift to deliver improved health and social care in the community and make better use of both council and NHS resources. Already this is leading to new joint arrangements including the appointment of senior council officers to statutorily separate positions in the NHS to provide shared leadership.