Inverness City and Rural Ward Forums to discuss planning for integration

Planning for the integration of care, health and education and children’s and adult services will be the main topic of discussions at the next Highland Council Inverness City and Rural Ward Forums on Saturday 14 May and Tuesday 7 June respectively.

The Highland Council and NHS Highland are planning the integration of health, care and education services for children and adults and wish to consult with the community.

The City Ward Forum on Saturday 14 May will be held at Inverness Town House at 1pm and the Rural Ward Forum on Tuesday 7 June at 7:30ppm will take place at the community room in Glen Urquhart High School, Drumnadrochit.

Having developed closer joint working over recent years, both The Highland Council and NHS Highland believe that it is possible to achieve even greater integration.  They believe that this will further improve front line services, achieving better outcomes for the users of services, and they want to consult with community groups about these plans.

The organisations believe that the proposals for integration will:

The proposed changes are significant because they:

Garry Coutts, Chairman of NHS Highland, said: “NHS Highland and The Highland Council appreciate that people want health and social care delivered in a straightforward way, with minimal bureaucracy.  They want the services they need, delivered quickly and efficiently, and as local to where they live as possible.  That is what we are seeking to do, through the integration of children’s and adult services, and we are keen to talk through the detail with local communities.”
 
Provost of Inverness, Highland Councillor Jimmy Gray said: “When constituents want to raise an issue about health and social care, it does not really matter to them who funds that service, they just want it sorted.  We are looking at new ways of delivering services, and as part of that, we want to ensure improved local accountability.  This meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss and consider how that is best achieved.”

The meeting will be held in public and there will be a 20 minute session at the close of the meeting for the public to ask questions.  People with specific needs who wish to attend the Ward Forums should contact Charles Stephen, Ward Manager on tel: 01463 724246 in advance to advise of any requirements.  Further information on the forthcoming ward forum can also be found on The Highland Council website http://www.www.highland.gov.uk/ from the home page via ‘your Council Ward’.