General practice is on a cliff edge - and ACOs could tip it over

[Northerner]

The latest acronym to hit the NHS is ACO - accountable care organisations. You would be forgiven for sighing with disbelief at yet another change to the way the NHS operates. It wasn’t enough for the Conservative-led coalition to push through the single biggest reorganisation of the NHS with the Health and Social Care Act 2012 – a change so big you could ‘see it from space’ according to the then NHS chief executive David Nicholson.

ACOs are the latest reorganisation by NHS England which Simon Stevens expects to 'deliver fast-track improvements, such as fewer emergency hospitalisations and better care in people’s homes'. On the face of it that sounds like a good plan but the potential seismic shift in how the NHS runs under an ACO is frightening.

ACOs will seek to bring together all organisations - providers and commissioners - offering health and social care under ‘one roof’ in a geographical area. Social care is now based on means testing, so you have to pay if you have some savings.

https://www.gponline.com/general-practice-cliff-edge-acos-tip/article/1452411

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These ACOs are certainly hitting the headlines at the moment

 

[Greyhound Gal]

Here's a novel idea. Why not put the money that is being spent on these into the NHS and social care as they stand as the reason they can't do their jobs properly is lack of money...

 

[trophywench]

Far too sensible GG !!

It will cost an absolute fortune, installing one or more 24/7 carers to shadow every person within the UK every minute of every day from cradle to grave to ensure they never ever have an accident or catch anything that might involve an emergency admission to hospital and prevent things like auto-immune conditions and heart attacks, brain bleeds and cancer happening, won't it?

I do freely admit I'm not medically trained neither have I ever had to be involved with social care - however had anyone asked me - I'd have said I thought it would be impossible.

Shows how much I know, doesn't it?

 

[mikeyB]

You know enough to talk sense, Jenny.

I can’t understand what these ACOs are for. What is their remit, what sanctions on treatment can they impose, and how on earth can they direct folk into social care when there isn’t any money, and social care is stripped to the bone.

The same job is done more easily and sensibly in Scotland by combining the budgets of health and social care, effectively making it all one. And you don’t have to appoint a collection of committees to oversee it.