THE next 12 months will see significant health and social care challenges for the county.

Four strategic policies will impact on us all.

The county’s budget proposals contained in the Future Lives document will be decided on by three Cabinet leads and implemented. The impact of these cannot be under estimated and there are a further series of consultation events being held in the runup to the January 19 closing date.

We will soon have a first sight of the independent clinicians findings and report on the Acute Services Review.

The three clinical commissioning groups will have a most responsible role in agreeing the best quality, safest way and financially viable way forward for the county’s acute services. Healthwatch would hope a broad consensus can be reached by all the key stakeholders. As one of 14 pioneers selected by Government, the Integrated Health and Social Care initiative “Well Connected” will start to have an impact on how and where services are delivered, work on its implementation and governance will be well under way in the coming months.

The Care Bill will have a direct impact on how we all will be paying for care in the future, and Safeguarding Boards for both Adults and Children will see a more involved role for the public over the next year.

PETER PINFIELD Chairman Healthwatch Worcs