The way we deliver health and social care services is changing
The Scottish Government’s vision for Scotland describes a healthcare system where we have joint working between health and social care services (that is, better co-ordinated care by integrating health and social care services), with a focus on:
- prevention
- supported self-management using more technology
- early intervention to reduce the likelihood of complications
- more services delivered in the home and the community
- less need for treatment in hospital
Care should be provided to the highest standards of quality and safety, and the patient will be at the centre of all decisions.
These changes will take place over the next 5-10 years and beyond to make sure our health and care services are fit for purpose and will meet the future needs of all our residents and communities.
In Ayrshire this programme of change is being called Caring for Ayrshire.
Watch NHS Ayrshire and Arran's video about these changes
On a national level, the Scottish Government has identified there needs to be more communication and integration between health services and social care services so that people’s needs for health care and social care services can be better co-ordinated. This vision for the transformation of services was set out in an Act of Parliament in 2014. As part of the programme to drive this major transformation, health services and social care services are being managed by a partnership structure. Ayrshire and Arran has three partnerships. These are:
- East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (EAHSCP)
- North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (NAHSCP)
- South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (SAHSCP)
In East Ayrshire the East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership is responsible for delivering the programme of changes that will happen to the health and social care services over this 5-10 year period. We have called this programme of work Caring for East Ayrshire.
Why do we need to do this?
Changes in population size and age, staffing, finance and some buildings coming to the end of their life mean we need to consider how we can better deliver health and care services to keep meeting the needs of our communities. In re-designing services there is an opportunity to promote prevention, make use of new technology, provide treatment earlier to prevent conditions progressing with complications, provide care and treatment closer to home and within the community, and reduce non-emergency admissions to hospitals.