The council and health board have pledged to try and work better together in providing care services for elderly and disabled people.
A late consultation has been launched over the new health and social care integration
scheme -
The plan is for a joint up approach from the council and health board to give the best care based on a person’s personal circumstances.
This could be making sure that care services know what help somebody needs in their home when they leave hospital.
Another purpose is to avoid people being sent to hospital or staying in hospital too long when it would be better for them to get care at home.
The changes should make it easier for staff to share information, expertise and experience.
Late consultation on coordinating care services
8 February 2015
At times the present system is ineffective and wastes staff’s time if people get the same service twice from the NHS and the council’s social care department.
Delays in developing the scheme set in with the Comhairle and NHS Western Isles arguing over the best model to integrate services.
The health board wanted to take charge and be the lead body to run services but faced concerns that that staff and core activities were being “taken over” with the health board culture dominating.
It also risked the scrutiny and responsibility for the transferred Comhairle services becoming removed from the democratic process.
However, it has now dropped that idea and will go along with the council’s plan to set up a new separate, autonomous panel called an Integration Joint Board.
The planning of certain services will come under the wing of the integration board.
It will oversee the development of strategic plans and operation of delegated services while the actual delivery of service will be carried out by the NHS and the Comhairle.
There was still a dispute over the number of appointees from each organisation. The health board had said should be a total of six to eight. The Comhairle wants ten people on the new panel and intends to nominate councillors this week.