Dealing with differences

Balance It scheme in Gateshead

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Gateshead Council has overcome geographical and cultural differences to establish good working relations with its local PCT.

The council and the PCT do not have identical boundaries, and two years ago Gateshead PCT became part of an integrated management arrangement across Tyne & Wear, which also involved areas covered by South Tyneside MBC and Sunderland City Council .

"The restructuring slowed down our joint working, but we have tried to get the best of sub-regional working. We have talked more as a group of councils, while at the same time having a local arrangement with the PCT," says Margaret Whellans, the council's group director for community-based services.

Joint working with the PCT has taken place on Gateshead's sustainability strategy, the local area agreement and the strategic needs assessments for health and social care. There are pooled budgets for specialist services such as drugs and alcohol, community equipment and HIV and AIDS.

There has also been a jointly conducted review of health inequalities, led by the joint director of public health.

There are differences between the two bodies' priorities and timing, admits Ms Whellans. Meanwhile, as the health sector is increasingly shifting its focus from secondary to primary care, the local authority is moving its attention from communities to individual budgets.

But she points out there are definite benefits of working together. The PCT has embraced the idea that communities, housing and other issues have a strong effect on public health. Joint working has helped reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy, for which Gateshead won a Beacon award.

"The feel of our partnership agreement is really strong," says Ms Whellans. "We are creative, real partners, and are ambitious together as a partnership."

Find out more

Gateshead Council

Margaret Whellans, group director, community-based services.
Tel: 0191 433 2600 or email: margaretwhellans@gateshead.gov.uk

See also within Best Practice

Intergrating Services

Capitalising on Reorganisation

Merging Structures