A PIONEERING programme to promote the innovative ways health and care is being joined up across the country has been extended to include Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven.

Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb announced the three areas had been chosen to help lead the way and will be given extra funding to support these programmes.

The aim is to make health and social care services work together to provide better support at home and earlier treatment in the community to cut the number of people needing emergency care in hospital or care homes.

The Right Care programme, owned by Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven health and care partners, focuses on the patient’s own home being the best place for them and that health and care provision should wrap around their needs.

There are already 14 pioneering areas, including Cornwall, where patients needing physiotherapy previously had to wait eight weeks and now only need to wait 48 hours, in Kent A&E waiting times have also been reduced.

Mr Lamb said: “Through the original pioneers we have already seen the difference joining up health and care can have in reducing unnecessary emergency admissions and helping people to live independently for longer. I hope these new pioneers will do the same for their local community.” And he added: "We know we need to work differently to respond to our growing ageing population - our £5.3 billion Better Care Fund, the biggest ever national programme to join up health and care, will focus resources on helping people to live independently, which will save money and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions.

"These 14 visionary local areas have stepped up to develop innovative ways to manage care around people’s needs and improved the health and wellbeing of their communities – I hope other areas will follow their example.”