Health and social care integration plans move ahead

Health and social care integration has moved forward following a joint meeting of Orkney Islands Council and NHS Orkney to plan a number of key actions for the formation of “the body corporate”, which will oversee the delivery of health and social care services in Orkney.

A programme board will be formed, made up of representatives from both organisations, which will be jointly chaired by Councillor Steven Heddle, OIC convener, and John Ross Scott, chairman of NHS Orkney.

They have also agreed a timeline, which will see a scheme of integration – which will set out governance arrangements and the structure of the new body – agreed by March 2015. This, they say, will be done following extensive consultation with staff, service users and partner agencies.

A timeline has also been put in place for the appointment of a chief officer to oversee the work of the new organisation.