Major milestone for Health & Social Care Integration
TUESDAY, 18 AUGUST 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PHOTO ATTACHED L-R INTERIM LEAD OFFICER P&K CHP EVELYN DEVINE, NHS TAYSIDE VICE CHAIR DOUG CROSS, NHS TAYSIDE CHIEF EXECUTIVE LESLEY MCLAY, CHAIR OF P&K CHP AND NON EXECUTIVE MEMBER OF NHS TAYSIDE BOARD LINDA DUNION, NHS TAYSIDE DIRECTOR OF PRIMARY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES BILL NICOLL, VICE CHAIR OF P&K CHP AND NON EXECUTIVE MEMBER OF NHS TAYSIDE BOARD SHEILA TUNSTALL-JAMES AND P&K COUNCIL DEPUTE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY CARE JOHN GILRUTH
Major milestone for Health & Social Care Integration
The final meeting of the Perth and Kinross Community Health Partnership (CHP) Committee took place at Murray Royal Hospital ahead of the introduction of a new integrated health and social care partnership.
The CHP Committee brought together leaders from NHS Tayside Board members, Perth & Kinross Councillors, staff from both organisations and representatives from the local Carers Forum and Perth & Kinross Association of Voluntary Services (PKAVS). For the past 10 years, the committee has been responsible for driving forward improvements and jointly delivering local, community-based health services.
NHS Tayside Chief Executive, Lesley McLay and Vice Chairman of NHS Tayside Board Doug Cross, attended the meeting to thank committee members personally on behalf of the Board.
The partnership approach adopted by the CHP has laid the foundations for the next step towards the integration of health and social care services which, from April 2016, will be overseen by new Health and Social Care Partnerships. In the meantime, interim accountability and governance arrangements will operate.
Speaking at the close of the meeting, Chair of the CHP Committee, Linda Dunion said, “Today's meeting marks a major milestone for all those involved in the provision of health and care services across Perth and Kinross.
“The work of CHP for the past 10 years has paved the way for the new integrated approach that will put the needs and wishes of people who use services right at the heart of everything we do.
“Our staff, carers, service users, voluntary sector colleagues and local communities are now working together more than ever before and we are already seeing the benefits that new, more integrated approaches can bring to individuals and their families across Perth and Kinross.
“In the long term, our aim is to ensure that everyone is well supported to live safely in their own home for as long as they want. That’s a goal that each of us shares both personally, and collectively as organisations, and we are all committed to making it a reality.”
Notes to editors:
New legislation in the form of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 came into force on 1 April 2014. The act requires Health Boards and Local Authorities to integrate their health and social care services.
Integration of health and social care is the Scottish Government's programme of reform to improve services and outcomes for people who use health and social care services.
Integration will ensure that health and social care provision across Scotland is joined-up and seamless, especially for people with long term conditions and disabilities, many of whom are older people. The aim is to make sure that services are tailored to meet the particular needs of individual local communities.
Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) in Angus, Dundee and Perth & Kinross will be replaced by new Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) for each locality.
These will be jointly run by the NHS and the Local Authority in each area from April 2015.
These new Partnerships will have executive powers and will use a single budget to deliver all health and social care services. All staff will continue to be employed by their existing employer, be it Angus Council, Dundee City Council, Perth & Kinross Council or NHS Tayside.
Contact:
Gaynyr Dickson
NHS Tayside Communications
01382 740716
