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Changes planned to working relationship between Highland Council and NHS Highland





David Park, chief officer for NHS Highland.
David Park, chief officer for NHS Highland.

Councillors have agreed alterations to governance arrangements for children’s services and adult care services in the region.

Highland Council delivers integrated children’s services while paying NHS Highland around £100 million for adult social care.

But both organisations felt that oversight of service delivery and spending was lacking, leading to inefficiencies, and they agreed to establish a new project board and team to identify and deliver improved outcomes.

The project board will report to the council’s health, social care and wellbeing committee as well as the health board and the joint monitoring committee.

Social care committee chairwoman Linda Munro said: “Members have given the go-ahead for a new approach to achieve efficiencies and improve outcomes for children’s services and adult care services in Highland communities by supporting the creation of a new programme management board.

“Following ongoing discussions with NHS Highland, members will decide in August which councillors will represent the council on the board.”

Councillor Andrew Jarvie believes the changes are long overdue, but more needs to be done.

“There is a lack of transparency for even the most basic of details,” he said. “While I warmly welcome this programme to closer scrutinise the delivery of services to children’s and adult services, it cannot be seen as a panacea.”

Councillors also welcomed an assurance provided for adult social care concerning special measures enacted during the pandemic related to staffing and personal protective equipment.

NHS Highland’s chief officer David Park provided councillors with a round-up of hospital cases, progress on plans for recovery and testing and the situation with local care homes.

“Measures that have been put in place nationally and locally since isolation have been very effective,” he said.

“Hospital capacity has dealt with the demand in Highland and a strong and clear governance process is in place for care homes.

“While a second wave is likely and we do anticipate there to be further outbreaks, these are expected to be extremely localised in the region.

"However, it is important to follow public health guidance in relation to physical distancing and infection control to ensure that the effects of any second wave are minimised.”

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