Localities Consultation - Get Involved Fife Council and NHS Fife have launched a consultation to identify and define the ‘localities’ across which joint services will be planned. The consultation will run from 11 August to 03 November 2014. The move comes as Fife prepares to join up health and social work services in order to meet the requirements of the Scottish Government’s new Act regarding health and social care integration, which comes into effect from April 2015, with full integration starting on or before 01 April 2016. In one of the biggest changes seen in a generation, Local Authorities and Health Boards across Scotland must cut out duplication, have social work and health care teams work more closely together and make better use of joint resources. So what’s happening in Fife? The Scottish Government’s Act (Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014)) requires each local area to identify and define the ‘localities’ across which joint services will be planned. The Act states that each local area must have at least two ‘localities’. At this stage, the focus in Fife is to find out what a ‘locality’ means for the people of Fife. Co-chair of Fife’s Health and Social Care Shadow Board, Cllr Andrew Rodger gives more details: “To make sure we keep people at the heart of all we do, we have spent many months talking, and importantly listening to what service users, patients, partners, colleagues and many others have had to say about their experience of care and how it can be improved. “We are now required to consider what a ‘locality’ means for people and how health and social care services can continually brought closer to the communities and meet the needs of people now and in the future. To do this, we have taken on board what we have learned to date, as well as look more closely at the important information about the populations living in Fife. Importantly we recognize that every community is different and we have to ensure we have the flexibility to plan our services in a way that reflects what local people need. On this basis, seven localities are being proposed for Fife. Planning our services in this way means we can improve them by strengthening our links with groups and organisations already working in these areas. We can also provide core services such as community mental health services and home care consistently across Fife. “We now want to hear people’s views on this proposal and ask as many people to get involved as possible.” Alison Rooney, NHS Fife Non-Executive Board Member, and Co-Chair of the Shadow Board added: “To plan our services effectively, we are proposing seven areas, or localities, which are a reasonable size, but small enough to plan for local needs.” “With this renewed focus we must find opportunities which build on existing good practice, establish stronger community networks and implement innovative and new ideas to improve the care experience for the public and for colleagues working in the health and social care. Only by doing this will we make integration a success in Fife.” The consultation will run from 11 August to 03 November 2014. To take part visit fifedirect.org.uk/integration or to request a hard copy call: 03451 55 55 55 + Ext 444230
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 17:00:33 +0000
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