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Integrating health and social care services
May 2026 |
Welcome to the May update for colleagues who will join the Derbyshire County Council and DCHS health and social care Partnership in Summer 2026. In this issue you will find:
- Countdown – 34 days to go!
- Information about the partnership lanyard
- Update from Josie Hill, Strategic Lead for Derbyshire’s Integrated Care and Support Services, about consulting with transferring colleagues
- Note from Jane Warder, DCHS Divisional Director, Community Care.
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Countdown – 34 days until Community First is born! |
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It’s not long now until 1 July, when the partnership officially begins! We are working through the final preparations to ensure a seamless transition into the Community First (County) partnership, so that our services will continue to run just as they do now. DCC colleagues will have continued access to the systems, tools and documentation that they need. |
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You’ll read more below about various aspects of the preparations which have been underway in the run-up to July, with updates from Josie Hill on the DCC consultations and from Jane Warder, focusing on the DCHS preparations and summing up the key aims of our joint partnership. There is one more important message for us to share: all health and social care colleagues in the partnership will receive a navy blue partnership lanyard. This will support us with our one-team identity and celebrate the equal contribution of health and social care professions. |
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Kirsty McMillan, Director- Integration, Derbyshire Community Health Services
Jenny Harper, Assistant Director, Derbyshire County Council |
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Consultation about TUPE transfer |
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It’s been a real pleasure to spend some more time with Council colleagues during the TUPE consultation period. Thank you to everyone who has attended – you’ve approached these sessions with real care and thought. As well as giving the opportunity to answer colleagues’ questions on the TUPE process, these conversations have opened up exciting discussions about the benefits that Community First will bring. |
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I have arranged several virtual drop-in sessions to pick up any questions that people may have outstanding and provide a safe space for this. These drop-in sessions will be held on:
- Thursday 28 May at 2pm (Today)
- Monday 8 June at 2pm
- Tuesday 23 June at 2pm.
You can join any of these sessions via an invitation in your calendar, or via the QR code on this bulletin or via this link.
Trade Union colleagues are most welcome to join. This would be a useful opportunity for you to raise any questions yourselves. We’ve collated the Q&As from the consultation sessions and you can find those in full on both DCC and DCHS intranets. We’ll also make sure these are displayed on information boards in the units. Below is a summary of what was discussed. |
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Note from Jane Warder, Divisional Director, Community Care, Derbyshire Community Health Services |
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The move into Community First is fast approaching, and whilst initially operationally, Community Hospitals and CSBs will continue to run as they do now, this will be a big moment for us all and the start of something new. DCHS look forward to inviting social care colleagues to join us officially and we are ready to support with the period of change. It’s worth recapping the aims of the Community First partnership which has its current focus on the discharge bedded care pathways: |
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- To deliver a fully integrated health and social care assessment and reablement service that enables people to tell their story once, supports independence, and improves wellbeing.
- To embed strengths-based, home-first practice that maximises timely recovery and reduces long-term reliance on services, aligned to Derbyshire Adult Social Care Practice Framework.
- To make best use of collective resources, removing duplication, achieving economies of scale, and ensuring sustainable delivery amid rising demand and financial pressure.
- To support delivery of the Joined-Up Care Derbyshire Integrated Care Strategy through shared decision-making and multidisciplinary working.
- To build a resilient, skilled workforce and continuously improve services through co-production with local people, partners and staff, ensuring equitable access and outcomes across Derbyshire.
Preparation in DCHS has included looking at the IT systems we will need, making sure all staff are on our HR systems and making sure the arrangements for the CSB buildings are clear and well understood. This includes knowing which facilities management activities will continue to be supported by Derbyshire County Council, and which will be undertaken by DCHS. The partnership remains a true team effort and our joint working won’t stop when we officially go live on the 1 July.
Jane
Jane Warder, Divisional Director, Community Care, DCHS: jane.warder@nhs.net |
Thanks to everyone who’s involved in this ongoing work |
We’re still very keen to have a chat, share what we know so far and hear your thoughts. Please feel free to email any of us directly:
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