A new report out tomorrow, 10 December, is calling on all local authorities, health trusts and care providers in England to work with housing organisations in a more integrated way.

It sets out how better partnership working can help support care closer to home, give people more independence and deliver greater efficiencies.

Housing services working closely with health and social care providers can make sure people with ongoing health and care needs live in better conditions, help them stay independent as long as possible and avoid more costly hospitalisation and residential care.

With each care home admission costing £40,000 per year, and the number of people aged 85 and over to rise by 184% to 2.3 million by 2036, the demand on the health and care system of an increasingly diverse and ageing society is expected to increase dramatically.

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Housing, health and social care professionals are urging local councils to establish effective links between primary care trusts, housing workers and adult social services to meet people’s needs in a more holistic way and give better value for money.

The report is published by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), supported by the Department of Health's housing learning and improvement network (LIN), and is endorsed by the NHS Alliance and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS).

Sarah Davis, Senior Policy and Practice Officer at CIH, said: "With the growing and increasingly ageing population and greater demands on tighter public spending, we need to transform the way we plan for, commission and deliver services that impact on people's health and wellbeing. Our report demonstrates that good housing plays an integral role in ensuring people stay healthy, active and independent as long as possible, so securing the best results from our national investment."

(CD/KMcA)