The integration of health and social care is about local teams of professionals working together – alongside partners including unpaid carers, the third sector and independent sector.

The aim is to deliver quality, sustainable care and services.

In line with national legislation, integrated arrangements have to be in place in South Lanarkshire by 1 April 2016.

Today Harry Stevenson, Chief Officer of South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership  –  the man tasked with leading integration in the area – talks us through the journey so far and his aspirations for the future.

South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership’s vision is clear: Working together to improve health and wellbeing in the community – with the community’

As well as providing our partnership with an all important sense of identity, who we are and what we stand for, that simple statement has also been our guiding principle as we’ve been setting down our plans for the future.

Indeed, our partnership is currently at an exciting stage of our integration journey as we finalise our Strategic Commissioning Plan.

In essence, our plan sets out how health and social care services will be delivered in local areas to address local priorities.

So, how have these priorities been identified?

We’ve used various methods. A Joint Strategic Needs Assessment has analysed, for example, the health and care needs of our population in fine detail.

The national health and wellbeing outcomes is an all important guide too.

Crucially, though, these priorities have also been established by good, old-fashioned talking and listening to people throughout the area.

In South Lanarkshire we have strong and well-defined communities; members of the public, health and social care staff, third and private sector organisations, carers, stakeholders and others who respect and value their local areas.

True to our vision, we have listened and used that local knowledge and expertise to shape our plan to ensure services are responsive to community needs and continue to harness resources that exist in towns and villages across the area.

This engagement process has taken various forms including a host of locality events and planning groups with broad representation from our partnership.

Beyond that, I’ve been making various personal visits to many of the services in our partnership, from care homes, hospitals and health centres.  On my travels, I’ve been talking to a range of people involved in integration; health and social care staff, GPs, service users and patients , carers, stakeholders and partners.

The process has let me sense check what people know (and what they don’t know) about the journey we are on.

That’s also given me the opportunity to listen to the hopes of people in our four localities.

And there seems to be a unifying theme: Staff and partners understand what needs to be done and they are ready for that.

There is an acknowledgment that we can’t continue to rely on a reactive, traditional hospital/institutional model. With an ageing population, it’s simply not sustainable in the long term.

There’s also recognition we have a unique opportunity to rebalance the health and social care system by focusing on developing more preventative, proactive care in our communities ensuring individuals have the information and support to live their lives safely.

Of course, there are many challenges, not least the financial climate we’re working in. Even with the extra monies through the integration fund the fact is there’s still a big demand on service – and staff are working really hard to meet that.

Crucially, we share a common purpose in our partnership – and that’s supporting the best outcomes with people. Our health, social care staff and partners are fully committed to working with people, their carers and families to promote health and well-being, where all aspects of care and support are co-ordinated around the person.

Amid the challenges and climate, those people and their outcomes remain an overriding, unifying priority.

So, as we move from planning, to doing – using the foundations of the exceptional work already established here – we are now set to build locality-based care and support that addresses health inequalities, improves health outcomes and delivers a better experience for all.

Just as our vision has shaped our plans, that very mantra ‘Working together to improve health and wellbeing in the community – with the community’ will shape our actions; now – and in the future.

Timeline charts integration journey. 

A timeline charting integration journey in South Lanarkshire so far has just been published.

South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care partnership strives to ensure the  integration process is as understandable as possible.

Recently, for example, a glossary was published. Harry Stevenson added the easy-read timeline will bring added clarity.

“The publication of the timeline will be a valuable resource for those looking to clarify or increase their understanding of integration in South Lanarkshire.

“The timeline charts the key steps so far in the lead up to integration going live as we set out to make our vision a reality.

Read the timeline now.