Preventative and Proactive Care engagement session summary

The online event provided updates from the programme and encouraged participant feedback on NHS Inform's new Waiting Well website.

On 13 September, the ALLIANCE and Scottish Government’s Preventative and Proactive Care team held an online event which provided the opportunity for ALLIANCE members to hear updates on the programme and provide their feedback.

Karen Duffy, the Scottish Government’s Proactive and Preventative Delivery Director, began the discussion by presenting an overview of the ongoing work concerning the programme. It was outlined that the main focuses of the programme at present are Getting It Right For Everyone (GIRFE), Waiting Well, primary and community health and care, acting on cardiovascular condition figures, and digital preventative and proactive care.

Hazel Parkinson, Strategic Policy Advisor at the Scottish Government, then presented an update on the GIRFE programme and shared insights into why social determinants, such as transport, may act as barriers to fulfilment of person centred care and support.

Karen Duffy then provided insights into the new Waiting Well website and outlined that its core aim is to make sure waiting periods become active phases of prevention and proactivity. An update for the primary and community health and care programme was then provided, with enhanced support for the most deprived communities facing complex life circumstances being highlighted. Findings relating to cardiovascular conditions were also presented, with this highlighting that its prevalence in Scotland will have increased by 21% in 2043 if early identification and preventative measures are not adopted in the near future.

Rikke Iversholt, the Scottish Government’s National Lead for Social Care and Technology Enabled Care, then showcased the services available on the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre website, which included digital blood pressure monitoring – a service deemed highly important for those self-managing their condition whilst on a long waiting list.

This section of the event was followed up by a question and answer session, where participants were encouraged to ask questions and share their views on the progress of the programme. Points were raised calling for greater integration of healthcare services in Scotland and better infrastructure to support person centred care.

Following a short break, Robert Smillie, Senior Digital Content Designer at NHS 24, provided a demonstration of the NHS Inform Preventative and Proactive Care page, which focused on the new Waiting Well website. Participants were then separated into three breakout rooms to discuss its functionality, content and user experience, as well as to offer feedback to service designers and government representatives before the website goes live on NHS Inform.

These insights were fed back to the entire group by ALLIANCE notetakers, with many agreeing that the presentation of the website was clear, concise and engaging, but may exclude groups who are digitally illiterate. It was also felt that the website could have been more representative of people navigating multiple long-term conditions, given the guidance for different conditions can be contradictory.

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