People in Edinburgh are being told significant risks to older people’s care revealed in an inspection report have now been rectified, after a period of transformation within the health and social care partnership has delivered ‘overall positive progress’.

A joint review of Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership’s older people services in 2017 revealed five out of nine quality indicators fell below accepted standards.

Major issues in access to services were found by the Care Inspectorate and Healthcare Improvement Scotland, with many older people unable to get help unless their needs were critical, with staff working to capacity and frustrated by inefficiencies in the system.

Despite 17 areas of improvement being identified, Edinburgh HSCP made little progress by the time of a further review in 2018.

But the most recent progress report published last month showed Edinburgh has now made significant positive progress in most of these areas – so much so that no further scrutiny of the service is planned.                                                                                    

Key to improvement, according to the investigation bodies, has been the partnership’s Transformation Programme, launched in February 2020 in an attempt to tackle ‘significant challenges’ faced by its health and social care sector.

A focus on involvement, engagement and co-production has allowed Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership to shift the balance of care from acute to community settings, as well as improve access to diagnosis of dementia and post diagnostic support.

The experience of carers has also improved, with a Carers Strategy implemented and more investment given to support services since covid-19.

Judith Proctor, Chief Officer of Edinburgh HSCP said: “Since [the 2018 follow-up review], there has been a notable shift in our approach and we are developing a sustainable strengthened position of better relationships, systems, processes, leadership and governance.”

“The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board and the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership can demonstrate a clear unity of purpose, and shared ownership of the challenging agenda faced not only by Edinburgh, but also by other health and social care partnerships across Scotland.”

Though the investigation bodies say no further scrutiny is planned and Edinburgh IJB considers the recommendations closed, both recognise the risk to service delivery that financial and workforce pressures pose.

The report says the partnership should ‘continue to closely monitor its financial position’ and that ‘adequate funding needs to be made available to resource the on-going work of the Transformation Programme to ensure pace and progress are sustained’.

Ms Proctor, who is also chair of Scotland’s Chief Officer Group, said: “We are realistic about the challenges we face, but have confidence that ongoing improvements are placed squarely into our strategic work programmes, effectively providing self-assurance that the recommendations can now be closed.”

 

Read more: Plans to improve older people’s health moves ahead; Ditch large care homes, charity says; Fear alternative pathways are worsening inequalities

 

 

 

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