Merge social care and health

RE: THE article “Mrs Smith expects” (Insight, 25 November). There is wide agreement that there are too many local authorities, and that health and social care should work together, but massive reorganisation is expensive. As an interim measure, could the social care departments of local authorities be integrated with the Health Board covering their area, to provide a health and social care service?

If the head of a board’s joint body came from the medical side, his/her deputy would be head of one of the Local Authorities’ Department of Social Work, and vice versa.

Most of the areas would be workable. Highland might have to be divided on grounds of distance, and Orkney & Shetland might consider a joint service.

Is this suggestion worth more consideration?

John Smart, Lossiemouth