---

Sustainability and Transformation Plans - June 2016 Update

The NHS Confederation conference ran from 15 – 17 of June and included a number of talks which touched on STPs, although no formal policy announcements were made.

NHS England directors emphasise mental health provision

Claire Murdoch, NHS England national director for mental health, and Johnathan Fielden, national director for specialised commissioning, both said they would not approve any STP submitted to them which did not cover how it was going to address mental health. In particular Murdoch said:

“I think that it’s the job of NHS England and NHS Improvement not to approve any STP, not to pass it, unless it can show the golden thread of early intervention, psychologically minded approaches to health and good services for people who have mental illness. I think they shouldn’t be approved unless they can pass that test.”

Read the full story in the Health Service Journal (requires subscription).

Simon Stevens says local authorities could take a leading role

Simon Stevens said that he could see local authorities taking a greater role in STP leadership in regions where they were in a position to so. It is not clear whether Stevens was referring to any of the five London STPs when he said this.

Read the full story in Public Sector Executive.

Calls for greater freedom to form local relationships

Dr Graham Jackson, co-chair of NHS Clinical Commissioners said that STPs lack local relationships because they are centrally constituted bodies and called for them to be given greater flexibility to develop these.

Read the full story in National Health Executive.

Last updated : 21 Jun 2016

---