Together: A vision of whole person care for a 21st century health and care service

Whole person care – integrating physical, social and mental care in a preventative and person-centred system – is potentially Labour’s big idea to go into the 2015 election with. The concept has already gained wide support among health professionals, policy experts, campaigners, practitioners and political advocates, who have united to welcome the approach. However, big questions remain around how to turn it from an interesting idea into a credible programme for government.

To inform the development of the whole person care agenda, Andy Burnham MP, the shadow health secretary, brings together a range of independent experts to explore the policy implications of integrated health and social care. Their essays do not represent Labour party policy, but outline the key areas that will need to be addressed in order to develop a coherent and effective ‘whole person’ approach to health and social care.

• Joan Bakewell on the provision for older people in the health service
• Mary Riddell on the challenge for Labour making whole person care a central part of their election offer in 2015
• James Lloyd on the potential role of contribution in providing social care
• Alastair Campbell on placing mental health at the heart of the whole person agenda
• Angela Coulter on the importance of empowering patients to manage their own healthcare
• Gabriel Scally on the argument for how investing in public health can deliver for patients and the public purse
• Caroline Abrahams and Michelle Mitchell on the need for more joined up services to help older people
• Richard Hawkes on making whole person care work for disabled people
• Karen Jennings on how the workforce can be brought into the process of integrating health and social care
• Sir Michael Rawlins on determining entitlements under an integrated health and social care service
• Clare Gerada on the changing role of the general practitioner under whole person care