Why do our services need to change through our new healthcare strategy, Achieving Excellence?

The demand for healthcare and the way it is provided is constantly evolving.

This brings both opportunities and challenges to the delivery of modern, high-quality services that are person-centred, safe, effective and sustainable.
One of the key recent developments is integration.

In April 2016, the integration of health and social care went live in North and South Lanarkshire.

This gives us a unique opportunity to redesign services and streamline the way in which care is provided. Integration brings together local teams of health and social care professionals – along with partners including unpaid carers, the third sector and independent sector.

We’ll be working together to meet the nine national outcomes that provide a framework for measuring the impact of integrated health and social care on the health and wellbeing of individuals.

NINE NATIONAL OUTCOMES
• Outcome 1: People are able to look after and improve their own health and wellbeing and live in good health for longer
• Outcome 2: People, including those with disabilities or long term conditions, or who are frail, are able to live, as far as reasonably practicable, independently and at home or in a homely setting in their community
• Outcome 3. People who use health and social care services have positive experiences of those services, and have their dignity respected
• Outcome 4. Health and social care services are centred on helping to maintain or improve the quality of life of people who use those services
• Outcome 5. Health and social care services contribute to reducing health inequalities
• Outcome 6. People who provide unpaid care are supported to look after their own health and wellbeing, including to reduce any negative impact of their caring role on their own health and well-being
• Outcome 7. People using health and social care services are safe from harm
• Outcome 8. People who work in health and social care services feel engaged with the work they do and are supported to continuously improve the information, support, care and treatment they provide
• Outcome 9. Resources are used effectively and efficiently in the provision of health and social care services

Another reason services need to change is resources.

Overall the number of clinical staff has increased, but we know that in many specialties there are challenges in employing the numbers of highly-skilled staff we need to meet ever changing levels of demand.

There are particular challenges with the availability of general practitioners and specialist hospital doctors nationally and internationally.

Making best use of the skills and capabilities of all of our staff will be vital to the successful delivery of our healthcare strategy.

NHS Lanarkshire must also deliver services on budget and make effective use of our hospitals, health centres and other premises. This includes being more energy efficient.