Creating Space to Share and Learn Together

• Written by: Billy McClean — Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership — Chief Officer
• Published: 10th September 2026

Billy McClean reflects on why SCIC26 offers a vital opportunity to learn together, share what works, and shape the future of integrated care

With persistent and rising pressures across the health and care system the need for radical reform has never been greater.  At times like these it’s easy for leaders and staff to feel unable to take time out of the busyness but this is exactly the time when we need to create space to step back, learn from one another and think differently about how we work together.

Having attended the IFIC North America Conference in Calgary 2024, I returned energised and inspired.  Along with other IFIC Scotland colleagues who attended that conference we committed to running a Scotland conference to celebrate 10yrs of integration.

Having been involved in the IFIC Scotland 2025 conference I was blown away by the fantastic work of colleagues across Scotland.  That is why I am so excited about the Scotland Conference on Integrated Care 2026.

What stood out to me from last year’s event was the quality of the conversations. It brought together people from different parts of the system – health and social care, the third sector, housing, academia, people with lived experience and others – with a shared interest in making integrated care work better for people and communities.

For me, that diversity is one of the real strengths of the IFIC events. Integrated care is not something that can be delivered by one organisation. It depends on relationships, collaboration and a willingness to understand different perspectives. Often, the most valuable learning comes not from hearing something completely new, but from seeing a familiar challenge through someone else’s eyes.

There was also a strong sense that integrated care has to be about more than structures and organisational arrangements. Ultimately, it is about whether people experience support that is joined up, preventative, person-centred and responsive to what matters to them. That means continuing to challenge ourselves about how we use resources, how we work across organisational boundaries and, crucially, how we give people and communities a meaningful voice in shaping services and shift power.

That feels particularly important as we look ahead to 2026. We are operating in a hugely challenging environment, with significant pressures across health and social care. It can be tempting to focus solely on managing those pressures. Given recent announcements about structural reform of the Health and Care system it would be easy to become distracted and despondent.  But this is precisely when we need opportunities to keep focussed on what is important; to share learning, identify what is working and explore where innovation can make a real difference.

The theme of this year’s conference – From Innovation to Impact – feels very timely. The programme will look at preventative and place-based approaches, digital innovation, collaborative workforce solutions, lived experience and investing for value and outcomes. These are not abstract issues; they are central to the future of health and social care in Scotland.

I would encourage colleagues across health and social care, the third sector, housing, communities and beyond to come along. Whether you are leading a service, working directly with people, involved in research and improvement, or simply interested in how we can do things differently, there is something to gain from being part of the conversation.

And perhaps just as importantly, there is something to contribute.

We all have experiences, ideas and learning that can help others. By coming together, sharing what works – and being honest about what doesn’t – we give ourselves a better chance of turning the ambition of integrated care into meaningful improvements in people’s lives.

I hope to see many familiar faces from across Scotland and beyond in October. These conversations matter, and the opportunity to learn together is one we should make the most of.  I look forward to being part of it.

Interested in joining the conversation? Find out more and register for SCIC26: From Innovation to Impact here.

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