Integration means delivering social care in a better way. GPs, hospitals, health workers, social care staff and others are increasingly work side-by-side to share information and take a much more co-ordinated approach to the way social care services are delivered.
What is integration?
Integration means that by co-ordinating the way in which we deliver Health & Social Care services; NHS Tayside, Perth and Kinross Council and our partners (voluntary and independent service providers) are developing better, more responsive and far more sustainable care models now and for the future.
This is about working together not just as care providers but also including the views and ambitions of care users, their families and carers. Only with this approach can we successfully improve our service in the ways people want.
Why are health and social care services now integrated?
This transformation is happening right across Scotland. Integration of adult health and social care is part of the Scottish Government's programme of reform to improve outcomes for adults who use health and social care services. The aim is to make sure that services are tailored to meet the particular needs of individuals and local communities, to ensure that people can lead, happy, healthy and independent lives in their own communities.
Integration is:
- Making it possible for people to receive the right care at the right time and in the right place.
- Changing the way we deliver care to meet the needs of our growing elderly population and people living with long-term conditions.
- Building strong, compassionate communities which offer support and companionship.
- Giving people the information and support they need to manage their own health and wellbeing effectively.
Health and Social Care Integration is a response to what people have been asking for - to make services more joined up, with better communication between service-providers and more flexible and tailored to suit the needs of the people who use the services.
What is happening in Perth and Kinross?
All Health Boards and Local Authorities have been required to establish integrated partnership arrangements. In Perth and Kinross, the local authority and NHS Tayside chose the body corporate model of integration which is the delegation of functions and resources by Health Boards and Local Authorities to an Integrated Joint Board.
An integrated budget has been established to support delivery of integrated health and social care functions.
Jacquie Pepper is Chief Officer/Director - Integrated Health and Social Care for the Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership. The Chief Officer/Director and the Integration Joint Board oversee the delivery of integrated adult health and social care services provided by NHS Tayside and Perth & Kinross Council, including those delivered in partnership with local third sector organisations.
About the Integration Scheme
Integration Scheme
A Revised Perth and Kinross Integration Scheme (PDF, 450 KB) received Ministerial Approval in November 2022.
Integration Joint Board
The Integration Joint Board is made up of local elected members, non executive members of NHS Tayside Board, Third Sector representatives and officials from NHS Tayside and Perth & Kinross Council. Unpaid carers and people who use the services that are being integrated will also have an important role to play in the work of the Board.
Strategic Plan for Health and Social Care 2024-2027
The Perth and Kinross Integration Joint Board approved a revised Strategic Plan for Health and Social Care (PDF, 3 MB) in Perth and Kinross in June 2024. The plan sets out the aims and ambitions for people living in Perth and Kinross and to provide outstanding services and help people to live their best possible lives.
A comprehensive Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (PDF, 5 MB) was carried out to inform the plan which brings together information and data on health and care needs of the adult population of Perth and Kinross in one place, to create a picture of service needs now (and in the future) to identify what we need to do to meet the needs of our population, address health and care inequalities. This also helps to identify equality outcomes. An Equality and Fairness Impact Assessment (PDF, 440 KB) was also undertaken.
Our shared vision for every person in Perth and Kinross to live in the place they call home with the people and things they love, in good health and with the care and support they need, in communities that look out for one another and doing the things that matter most to them.
Our ambitions are to enable everyone to:
- stay as well as possible for as long as possible
- live as independently as they can for as long as is safely possible
- to thrive and to be valued members of their community
The plan sets out a commitment to delivering care and support in a way that is fair and equitable to all, recognising that this may mean that services are provided in ways which meet the different needs of people. The plan recognises that there is a need to reduce and minimise inequalities which can be as a result of social, economic or educational status combined with discrimination based on age, disability, race, or any other protected characteristic to promote and realise a person's optimal health and wellbeing.
Annual Performance Report
In July 2023, the Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership published its latest Annual Performance Report (PDF, 1 MB). This Report sets out how the HSCP has performed in 2022/23 against national outcome indicators set out by the Scottish Government.
Previous Annual Performance Reports:
- Annual Performance Report (PDF, 3 MB)published in September 2022
- Annual Performance Report (PDF, 1 MB) published in September 2021
- Annual Performance Report (PDF, 6 MB) published in September 2020
- Annual Performance Report (PDF, 3 MB) published August 2019
- Annual Performance Report (PDF, 1 MB) published July 2018
- Annual Performance Report (PDF, 973 KB) published August 2017
- Summary of Annual Performance Report 2016/17 (PDF, 495 KB) published August 2017
Participation and Engagement Strategy 2025-2028
Connecting with communities for change
The Integration Joint Board and the Health and Social Care Partnership recognise the need to think and act differently move away from the limitations of a top-down or bottom-up approach to participation. This Participation and Engagement Strategy 2025-2028 (PDF, 3 MB) approved by the IJB in December 2024 sets out how we will work side-by-side with communities, continuously engaging and listening to each other and offering opportunities to work together.
The strategy sets out a series of commitments to put people at the heart of what we do:
- Harness the strengths and assets that every community and everyone has to offer.
- Learn and share what works well.
- Elevate the views of people with lived experience, their families and carers.
- Listen and involve the widest possible range of people, so that everything we do is influenced by a diverse range of views and perspectives.
- Work to establish systems and processes which strive to support individual and community empowerment.
We recognise that health and health inequalities is one of our greatest challenges as good health significantly impacts overall wellbeing, family and community life. The foundations for this work are equality; diversity; accessibility and reciprocity.
We recognise that engaging with people who face inequality is crucial for solving challenges which affect them. We will assume people want to be heard and use accessible methods to elevate everyone's voices within our communities and encourage more diverse representation.
You can also read the Equalities and Fairness Impact Assessment (PDF, 438 KB) for the Participation and Engagement Strategy.
Other Strategies
- 3-Year Workforce Plan 2022-2025
- Partnership Improvement Plan
- Autism and Learning Disability Strategic Delivery Plan
- Older People Strategic Delivery Plan
- Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy
- Joint Carers Strategy 2023-2026 report (PDF, 202 KB)
Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Report
Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership is fully committed to delivering services that are fair to all.
We uphold our responsibilities as detailed in the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality Act (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012. We recognise that good health and care is not evenly distributed or experienced across our communities and our strategic plans aim to tackle wider health inequalities. Through our commitment to mainstreaming equality and delivering agreed equality outcomes we set out our unambiguous goals to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not; and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
As part of the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations, the Integration Joint Board is required to publish a mainstreaming report and equalities outcomes as well as report on progress to achieve equality outcomes. The most recent reports published as at April 2025 are:
- Mainstreaming Equalities and Equality Outcomes for 2025-2029 (PDF, 1 MB)
- Equality Outcomes 2025-2029 (PDF, 229 KB)
- Equality Outcomes 2021-2025 progress report (PDF, 270 KB)
- Equality Outcomes Action Plan progress to March 2025 (PDF, 115 KB)
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