NHS board approve integration scheme

The board of NHS Orkney met this morning to discuss the final draft of a scheme which will see the delivery of integrated health and social care services in the county.

The board agreed that there should be three non-executive members of the NHS Orkney board appointed to the Integration Joint Board (IJB), that the term of office for appointment to the IJB be two years and that the appointment of the chairman and vice-chair be on a rotational basis, with the first chair appointed by the OICl and the first vice-chair appointed by NHS Orkney.

The approved integration scheme will be submitted to Scottish Ministers by April 1.

With the integration on its way, next Tuesday will see the demise of Orkney Health and Care as a body.

However concerns regarding integration remain, with the NHS board members commenting on the potential for the politicisation of health care in the county.