Integration Team round up 2023

This year, the ALLIANCE Integration team continued to share learning and knowledge on integration.

This year, the team continued to share learning and knowledge on integration thanks to our engagement work across sectors, allowing us to develop stronger and meaningful relationships. This has included attending the Community Partnership Conference 2023 in Inverness, the Design HOPES launch event in Dundee, and more. To develop and maintain the strong relationships we gained throughout these events, we published opinion pieces highlighting the learning and knowledge shared, as well as the key themes of integration that were evident. We also attended the International Conference for Integrated Care 2023 (ICIC23) in Antwerp, Belgium, where we gained insights from around the world, hosted a workshop to share learning from our community partnership networks, and built international connections.

We have taken forward several meetings with stakeholders to build relationships, including Audit Scotland, Scotland Excel, Stirling and Clackmannanshire HSCP, NHS Grampian, the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC), and a range of third sector organisations. This has involved participating in panel discussions, conducting case studies, supporting recommendations, and collaborating on our work plan. We have also agreed to host a series of talks for students at both the University of the West of Scotland and City of Glasgow College in early 2024, with sessions to focus on integrated methods of working in health and social care. As well as this, we have been reviewing IJB strategic plans and annual reports, which has included selecting samples of nine integration authority areas representing a range of geographical, demographic, and structural characteristics.

To build on this, the Connected Communities case study series was launched in October to highlight examples of good practice within health and social care integration in Scotland. By identifying a range of third sector organisations utilising the key themes of integration, we have spotlighted a variety of projects that are examples of good practice within both health and social care and the third sector. As a result, we have already showcased a range of diverse and innovative organisations utilising integration to specialise in topics such as ADHD awareness, men’s mental health, self management, community sport, and more. The case studies are shared fortnightly on our website, bulletin, and social media sites, whilst they are also shared individually with relevant stakeholders and organisations to amplify opportunities and help shape practice.

We have also continued to develop our IJB Representative Network, which brings together lived experience representatives from IJBs across Scotland. With meetings held quarterly, representatives have continued to engage in discussion around a range of topical issues affecting them and their areas. This year, the network also engaged in a joint event with Coalition of Carer Representatives, where many similar concerns were raised, whilst in February, we were joined by Kevin Stewart, then Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, which generated a discussion around the progress of the National Care Service.

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