By Paola Alvino A "BRIGHT" idea to change the way care services are provided for older people has been condemned by Social Services North West.
A proposal by the NHS Confederation to take over the responsibility from local councils has been described as a setback.
Social Services North West chairman Cllr Cliff Morris said: "We work very hard to make sure that our services - home care, residential care and other support - mesh in with our health service colleagues.
"As part of local councils, we can make the links into other vital community services such as housing.
"A takeover by the NHS would make things worse, not better."
Cllr Morris said although he understood the government's concern to improve the NHS and conquer problems such as bed blocking, Social Services and the NHS had been working well together to ensure continuity and an improved service.
He added: "The last thing older people need is for this process of continuous improvement to be disrupted by organisational change which will take the focus away from those we are here to serve.
"If social care commissioning is taken from the local authorities and given to the NHS, that might appear to remove some barriers, but would certainly create others."
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