Vanguard area plans to create new 'care trust'

Health and social care providers for the Stockport Together vanguard project published an options appraisal document in mid-October setting out five potential options for the organisational form of the Stockport MCP: a contractual alliance; an accountable care trust; the lead provider model; a corporate joint venture; or a limited liability partnership.

Following an initial assessment it was decided that the creation of an accountable care trust was the preferred option, subject to approval by the boards of Stockport FT, Viaduct Health GP federation, Stockport metropolitan borough council and Pennine Care FT.

Under this option, Stockport FT and the council would create a “care trust”, which would hold the MCP contract and the contracts for all other health and social care services. However, HSJ understands core primary care services would not be provided by the care trust. Instead the new organisation would subcontract services out to GPs.

HSJ understands that almost all the relevant boards have approved the plan. Stockport FT approved it last month and Viaduct Health is due to take it to its board next week.

The term “care trust” was introduced in the 2000s under the NHS Plan. Local organisatons were given the power to create care trusts with their local authorities – bringing together the commissioning and provision of health and social care services under one organisation.

According to Stockport Clinical Commissioning Group’s November board papers, interim arrangements for the MCP are anticipated to go live from April 2017.

The new accountable care trust would allow for GP leadership at governor, executive board, managerial and hospital levels, allowing the organisation to be built from the CCG’s registered GPs lists.

The scope of services for the MCP contract is estimated to be £180m.

As part of the plans, Stockport FT and the council are also set to integrate their support services.

A spokesman for the vanguard said: “The options appraisal still needs to be formally approved by all four provider organisations within the Stockport Together partnership and a full business case would then need to be completed and assessed by commissioners, noting that primary care GMS and PMS contracts are not in scope for an accountable care trust or the procurement process.

“There’s still a long way to go, but this development potentially gives us a radical and exciting opportunity to transform health and social care provision in Stockport for the benefit of our residents.”