Final report from the Ministerial Strategic Group for Health and Community Care reviews the progress and draws together the proposals for ensuring the success of integration.
Since 2016, work has been underway across Scotland to integrate health and social care services in line with the requirements of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014. By integrating the planning and provision of care, partners in the public, third and independent sectors are improving people’s experience of care along with its quality and sustainability. Evidence is emerging of good progress in local systems. Audit Scotland’s[1] report on integration that was published on 15 November 2018 highlights a series of challenges that nonetheless need to be addressed, in terms particularly of financial planning, governance and strategic planning arrangements and leadership capacity.
The pace and effectiveness of integration need to increase. At a health debate in the Scottish Parliament on 2 May 2018, the then Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport undertook that a review of progress by Integration Authorities would be taken forward with the Ministerial Strategic Group for Health and Community Care, and that outputs arising from any further action stemming from such a review would be shared with the Health and Sport Committee of the Scottish Parliament.
Read the full report here