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Would OIC and NHS Orkney ‘merger’ cut into combined £26m deficit?
Could we see OIC and NHS Orkney collaborating in a number of service areas?

Would OIC and NHS Orkney ‘merger’ cut into combined £26m deficit?

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Orkney’s two largest public organisations will discuss ways to collaborate and save money next week.

Orkney Islands Council and NHS Orkney will look at how their services could work more closely together at a series of meetings on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

It follows months of discussions between the two public bodies, aimed at reducing duplication and finding efficiencies.

The goal is to cut costs but preserve services at a time when the organisations face a combined deficit of over £26 million a year. 

The proposals, titled, A Routemap to Reform, are part of a wider push across Scotland to encourage public bodies to collaborate more effectively.

The move have been backed by the Scottish Government and if ministers approve the proposals, £300,000 of funding could be provided.

Two temporary community engagement officer posts could also be created to help the process. 

Next week’s meetings will give Orkney Island Councillors, members of the NHS Orkney board, and Orkney’s Integration Joint Board an opportunity to discuss the proposals.

If endorsed, they will be submitted to the Scottish Government next Friday. 

David Campbell, interim chaitman of NHS Orkney, is one of the co-authors of the statement.
David Campbell, interim chairman of NHS Orkney, is one of the co-authors of the statement.

A joint statement issued by the leader of Orkney Islands Council, Councillor Heather Woodbridge and interim chairman of NHS Orkney, David Campbell, said that the proposals are aimed at “working together to make sure our services deliver the best possible outcomes for the local community, rooted in making our service delivery sustainable.”

The statement said: “Next week, elected members and board members at both organisations will look at proposals to explore how our services can work more closely together. 

“What we propose is to research where these opportunities may be and how closer working could look in practice. 

“This “Routemap to Reform,” is the culmination of months of constructive discussion, facilitated by the Scottish Government, and reflects a shared ambition to create a stronger, more efficient public sector for Orkney.”