Since we formally began our Health and Social Care Integration journey in 2016, we’ve been working across our teams and with partners to ensure that the people who need our support get the right care and support, in the right place and at the right time. To do this we need to make sure that the health and social care services that we provide or develop reflect the priorities and needs of local people and communities. To get this right, it’s really important that we engage with people who are supported by us, deliver our services or have a role or interest in them.

We kick off the summer issue of our Partnerships Matters Briefing featuring the review of our current Strategic Plan and the development of our next one, which we’ve been doing a lot of engagement work on. A number of updates have been provided in past issues of our briefing (May 2021, September 2021 and March 2022).

After working together with a range of organisations, networks and groups that represent and deliver services to people across the city, we’ve been able to develop a draft Strategic Plan. It’s now out for consultation so that a final draft, which takes into account feedback from across the city, can be completed and in place for 1 April 2023. If the next Strategic Plan is going to properly reflect the views and priorities of people within the city then it’s important that people take the chance to give us their feedback. The consultation survey will be available until the end of September, so please be a part of the conversation and share your views.

Early Intervention and Prevention continues to be a key strategic priority for our Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and the city, particularly in the area of mental health, and our briefing features the Togetherall service. This service helps young people aged 16-24 receive quick, anonymous and free mental health resources that contribute to their health and wellbeing. It supports immediate and longer-term mental health or situational distress, enabling young people to feel more in control of their emotional health.

We also feature our first draft Domestic Abuse Strategic Plan, and it’s out for consultation. The Plan pledges to improve our services to people who are or have been affected by domestic abuse and our response to those who cause harm through domestic abuse. Again, we’re keen for you to share your views.

One of our key documents that helps us to plan and deliver our services to reflect the needs of Glasgow’s population is our Demographics and Needs Profile. It includes a breakdown of the general population (current and projected) at locality and city levels, and it also includes a profile of health and other factors that can impact health and wellbeing.

I’m sure you’ll agree with me that it’s welcome news that we’re now past the peak of the most recent wave of COVID-19, and we’ve seen less infections in our communities and less hospitalisations. As I’ve said a number of times, the vaccines, treatments, protection measures and all of our individual and collective efforts have got us to this point. However, it’s still important to remember that the virus is still with us and I’d encourage you to continue to keep yourself and others safe by using ‘COVID sense’.

I hope you continue to find our Partnership Matters Briefing useful as one of the ways to keep you up to date with some of the work that’s happening across our HSCP with partners. If you have something that you’d like to feature, then please email us at GCHSCP_Communications@glasgow.gov.uk. We always welcome suggestions for new articles.

It won’t be long before we’re at the end of our summer and I hope you’ve been able to enjoy it so far. And I truly hope that our staff and partners supporting our health and social care efforts throughout the pandemic have managed to enjoy a break. Our HSCP’s Senior Management Team and I remain grateful and thankful for your continued support, and without you we could not continue to support our city’s health and social care needs in the way that we have. Thank you.

Susanne