We continue to build strong relationships, champion integrated ways of working, sharing learning and highlighting lived experience.

In 2024, we published a review of Integration Authority strategic plans. We made recommendations to strengthen reporting and presented the findings to government colleagues. Findings also informed discussions with partners around key challenges and priorities for health and social care reform and have helped us to build relationships with key stakeholders. Learning from the report has informed the Integration and Academy team’s workplan, including a focus on promoting collaboration and partnership working. We contributed to development of the Scottish Learning and Improvement Framework for Adult Social Care Support and Community Health (SLIF), which aims to refocus improvement work around the outcomes that matter to people. We facilitated focus groups and undertook a literature review to ensure that the voice of lived experience and existing evidence inform the creation of progress indicators.  

Following feedback from members of The Community of Practice – Lived Experience that it would be helpful to have informal sessions, we have introduced Virtual Coffee Mornings in addition to quarterly meetings. We have been meeting with members one-to-one to gain insight into what they hope to get from the sessions. Networking and shared learning have been common themes, and the sessions are an excellent opportunity to facilitate this.  

The IJB Lived Experience Network, in partnership with Coalition of Carers in Scotland, published ‘More Than Equal, Valuing and supporting the expert contribution of people with lived experience’ report. It looks at involvement of Lived Experience and Carer Representatives within IJBs, sets out recommendations for improvement, areas for development and ways to support this. We continue to support the network as an important space for representatives to meet, share their experiences and discuss challenges they are facing.  

In partnership with the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC) Scotland, we are holding a series of Integration in Action events, looking at the factors that contribute to integration, examples of good practice and the future of integration. During the first event, we explored the Academy’s Five Ambitions for the Future of Health and Social Care. The second event took a closer look at the Ambition ‘Be Human’. The events have been attended by representatives from HSCPs and the third sector, people working in health and social care, policy makers and individuals with lived experience of accessing help and support.  

We launched the Knowledge Hub, a library of resources and guides to support organisations to deliver more meaningful engagement with lived experience. We have recently recorded an interview with Scottish Recovery Network, about their Peer Recovery Hub, sharing the purpose of our hubs, hopes for future development and promoting third sector integration and collaborative working.  

We have significantly expanded our Connected Communities series this year, publishing a series of impactful case studies from a diverse range of organisations. We also published an Anthology, a powerful testament to the third sector’s role as a valued partner in advancing health and social care integration in Scotland. 

Quotes from 2024

  • Member of the Community of Practice – Lived Experience advised that they “find the community of practice to be extremely useful and worthwhile.  It’s great to speak to such a diverse range of stakeholders and I really appreciate the opportunity to present at the meeting on upcoming projects”.
  • Member of the IJB Lived Experience Representative Network – “The meetings you held were the only opportunity I had to meet with other reps & provided me with support & reassurance. I found them very helpful & positive. Thank you!” 

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