Highland Council approves new controls to oversee spending and service delivery of social care between it and NHS Highland
HIGHLAND Council’s health, social care and wellbeing committee has approved significant changes to its partnership and governance arrangements with NHS Highland.
The council and health board work together to oversee children’s services and adult care services in the region.
Currently the council delivers integrated children’s services but also pays the health board around £100 million for adult social care.
It was felt that oversight of service delivery and spending was lacking, leading to inefficiencies.
They have now agreed to establish a new project board and team to identify and deliver efficiencies and improved outcomes in care homes; care at home; and learning disability across both adult care and integrated children’s services.
Officers from Highland Council and NHS Highland will be appointed to the team.
The board will report to the council's social care committee as well as the health board and the joint monitoring committee.
Chairwoman of the health, social care and wellbeing committee, Councillor Linda Munro, said: "Members have given the go-ahead today for a new approach to achieve efficiencies and improve outcomes for children’s services and adult care services in Highland communities by supporting the creation of a new programme management board.
"Following ongoing discussions with NHS Highland, members will decide in August at committee which councillors will represent the council on the board."
