The former London councillor appeared in a live stream at the annual Local Government Association conference in Liverpool yesterday in a session on how councils would be affected by health changes. Streeting said he would have been at the event in person but for the Commons welfare vote. He promised he would attend ‘next year'.
He told the audience he wanted ‘to make the NHS a better partner for local government' adding, ‘we don't have enough accountability by local government of health'.
With hints of a greater role for elected mayors in health providers, Streeting said: ‘We're aligned with the devolution agenda and as we devolve more power we must maintain democratic accountability.'
He also said the plan would reduce the amount of regulation saying there were ‘way too many checkers and not enough doers' and he wanted to ‘declutter the patient landscape'.
NHS Health Checks
In further news from the conference, Cllr David Fothergill, chairman of the Local Government Association's Community Wellbeing Board, welcomed news councils had delivered a record-breaking 3.8m NHS Health Checks last year – the highest number since the programme began in 2013.
Commenting on the latest publication of NHS Health Check data, Cllr Fothergill said: ‘These checks are a powerful tool in helping people stay healthier for longer, by spotting early signs of serious conditions like heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and even some forms of dementia.
‘Over 1.4m checks were completed, giving individuals vital insights into their health and helping them take proactive steps to reduce risks. Councils are going further by reaching out to communities who might not otherwise engage with health services – especially those facing greater health inequalities – through targeted outreach and support.
‘These checks are a vital part of the shift towards prevention and early intervention – a key ambition of the NHS 10-Year Health Plan. The NHS Health Check programme is a golden opportunity to empower people, ease future pressure on our health and care systems, and build healthier, more resilient communities.'
