West Dunbartonshire Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) are inviting people and organisations across West Dunbartonshire to have their say on one of their key governance documents.
The Public Bodies (Joint working) (Scotland) Act 2014 outlines arrangements for integrating health and social care to improve outcomes for patients, service users, carers and their families. The Act requires Health Boards and Local Authorities to work together effectively to agree a model of integration to deliver quality, sustainable care services.
The Integration Scheme is a legally binding agreement between West Dunbartonshire Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. In 2015 the Integration Scheme was used to establish an Integration Joint Board and outlines how health, social work and social care services are provided locally.
The law requires Integration Schemes to be reviewed within five years of their initial approval. Unfortunately a review in 2020 was interrupted by the global pandemic and, with the support of the Scottish Government, has been delayed until recently.
All six health and social care partnerships across the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area have worked together to review their Integration Schemes. The aim of this work was to achieve, where possible, consistency in areas where this would help to harmonise cross Partnership working, such as the planning of acute hospital services and the arrangements for hosting services which cover the whole Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
The review has highlighted that only minor changes are required to the Integration Scheme. The proposed changes are technical in nature and do no substantively change the range of integrated services or the way in which they are planned or delivered.
The changes involve updates to:
One of the more substantives changes is in relation to Section 3 (Local Governance Arrangements) where it is proposed that the term of the Chair/Vice Chair of the Integration Joint Board is reduced from three years to two years. Currently terms of office range between one and three years.
Even though the proposed changes to the Integration Scheme are limited, the law requires that we consult on any proposed updates. The consultative draft Scheme is attached, and your comments are welcomed on these updates. You are encouraged you to share this request for feedback with any individual or organisation who may be interested in this work.
It is acknowledged that in this instance there is no easy read version of the Integration Scheme available for stakeholders. By necessity this is a technical document (hence the style and forms of words used throughout it); and that its concern is the governance of local arrangements. The content and structure of the draft scheme adheres to the requirements within the Act.
The deadline for contributions to the consultation is Wednesday 31 January 2024.
The revised Integration Scheme will be submitted to the Scottish Government for final approval once it has been through the consultation process and agreed by the Council and Health Board in April 2024.
A copy of the revised Integration Scheme
Please share your views by emailing wdhscp@west-dunbarton.gov.uk no later than Wednesday 31 January 2024.