Organisational Integration in Health and Social Care: Some Reflections on the Northern Ireland Experience

Unlike the rest of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland has had a system of integrated health and social care since the early 1970s. Following devolution, the reconfiguration of services has strengthened this integration with a smaller number of trusts with responsibilities for all heath and social care. This article examines the current and planned operation of this more comprehensive form of integration of health and social care. It considers how this experience of integrated structures and working can inform approaches in other areas of the UK. Finally, it assesses the main achievements of this system and identifies remaining problems.