BLACKBURN and Darwen’s council and health trust could be set to merge next year, in a bid to improve life for residents.

NHS Blackburn with Darwen, which oversees all non-hospital healthcare in the borough, and the council’s social care department, are set to submit plans for a merger to form a multi-agency “Care Trust Plus”.

The two bodies have already worked together extensively, not least on the groundbreaking Re:fresh programme to bring free sports and leisure to all residents.

Under the planned arrangements, Blackburn with Darwen’s social care department would join the health workers in the new trust, meaning they can work much more closely to identify patients’ problems and ensure quick treatments.

Staff and service users at both bodies will be consulted over the next few months, with bosses hoping to be able to submit their detailed proposals to the government by June next year.

A spokesman for the council said: “It has become clear over time that closer working arrangements improve services and feedback from the people of Blackburn with Darwen continues to support collaboration.”

The proposals were discussed by the board of NHS Blackburn with Darwen at their meeting this week.

In a report to the board, chief executive Judith Griffin said the change would help improve health in Blackburn with Darwen, particularly through its campaign to boost the whole population’s lifestyles.

She said: “Whilst good progress has been made in the last year, particularly with the Re:fresh campaign, there is not enough joint strategic commissioning and combined support that will pack enough punch to address the deprivation and life expectancy gap between Blackburn with Darwen and the rest of the country.”