Scottish Government

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in this edition

Assessment Review Co-ordinating Group
eCare Consent & Confidentiality Work
Action Learning Set Event
Joint Future Info Burst
Launch of Joint Improvement Team Website
Update on Delayed Discharge
Update on CHPs
Forthcoming Events

welcome to the first encouraging and supporting integration newsletter

Welcome. This newsletter has its origins in the extremely positive Encouraging and Supporting Networking Event, which took place in Perth on 18 March 2005, which we jointly chaired. One of the key actions was to look at improved communications. We now have an integrated communication strategy, with one of the key items being the production of an integrated newsletter.

This newsletter will provide you with comprehensive updates on the delivery of Joint Future, the Data Standards and eCare Division, the Joint Improvement Team, and a range of related policy issues.

This is the first edition. It highlights three pieces of work which have strongly reflected the drive towards integration: the Assessment Review Co-ordinating Group; the eCare Consent & Confidentiality Working Group; and the Joint Future Human Resources Group Action Learning Set Event.

Our aim is for future editions to feature the ongoing work in local partnerships much more prominently. Feedback on the newsletter, and suggestions for future articles and features should be passed to Blythe Robertson at ecare@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

ASSESSMENT REVIEW CO-ORDINATING GROUP ( ARCG)

The Assessment Review Group ( ARG) was set up by the Scottish Executive in March 2004, in response to requests from SSA Leads and others attending Learning Networks.

The ARG was charged with three main tasks:

• To agree a set of minimum standards for the information content of Single Shared Needs Assessments for Older People;
• To formulate a procedure for evaluating SSA forms and information gathering processes ( e.g. training and guidance) against the minimum standards;
• To draw up a proposal for the constitution of a longer-term Assessment Review Group, which would take on the responsibility for evaluating SSA forms, for extending the minimum standards to new areas, and for managing the change control process for existing standards.

In December 2004 the National Minimum Information Standards for Single Shared Assessment for Older People was launched and the Compliance Review process undertaken nationally. As this signalled completion of the main tasks delegated to ARG it was agreed that a longer term group be established. In October 2004 the ARCG commenced: its members are drawn from the Joint Future Unit, Data Standards eCare Division, Information and Statistics Division of NHS Scotland, the Scottish Executive Health Department's Community Care Statistics Branch and a representative cross-section of local partnerships.

Three main strands of work have been identified for ARCG:

• To develop core minimum standards for adult care groups
• To consider/develop standards for other aspects of assessment and care management, e.g. the care planning process
• To manage and carry out the process of evaluating compliance with minimum standards.

To date, work is almost complete on the development of Draft Minimum Information Standards for Single Shared Assessment for Adult Client Groups. These will be circulated widely for comments before being finalised. Also ARCG plans to consider the area of care planning as the next field for the development of standards.
Contact margaret.quinn@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk for further information on this work.

CONSENT AND CONFIDENTIALITY

In order to provide practical solutions for the eCare pilots, the Data Standards and eCare Division convened a Consent & Confidentiality Working Group. The group has been tasked with developing a consent and confidentiality framework, at this stage focussed on allowing the successful delivery of the eCare pilots, but with the additional role of flagging broader issues that need to be addressed in the future.

A dynamic workshop day took place in January 2005, where 60 attendees, from a broad range of interests, worked through a range of complex problems, and proposed a number of innovative solutions to address the key issues. This was an excellent joint working event, which was demanding for all involved, but rewarding in the range and quality of outputs.

It was agreed at the event that the key deliverables of the working group were a technical consent model, data standards to support this model, and a training pack to support this work. Accordingly, two sub-groups were established: the Multi-Agency Store ( MAS) sub-group, which is recommending how the eCare MAS is enhanced to incorporate the technical consent model; and the Training Pack sub-group.

The technical sub-group has produced a technical consent model, which now forms part of the data model of the eCare MAS. The training pack sub-group has produced a draft training pack, which includes a training presentation and a number of case scenarios, which can be used as worked examples, in the training environment. Extensive consultation has taken place on this work, with significant input from NHS Education for Scotland, and Queen Margaret University College. Initial discussions have taken place on the possibility of piloting the finalised pack with students at Queen Margaret.

Overall, this work has been an excellent example of joint working, with the significant inputs made by all contributing to a well rounded piece of work, which has engaged with complex and problematic issues and produced workable solutions and practical ways forward. More information on this work is available from ecare@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Action Learning Set Event

A huge thank you to all of you who took time out to attend the action learning sets national launch event on 21 June at Stirling University. The event brought together over 100 Human Resource/Personnel and Organisational Development practitioners and operational staff from Health and Local Authorities involved in the delivery of joint services.

The launch led to the establishment of 16 action learning sets across local Joint Future partnerships. Savage Young and Associates will facilitate the first meeting of each set and will offer ongoing support via telephone and email.

We hope that you found the day to be of value and will benefit from being a member of an action learning set.

To evaluate the value of this process, participants will be asked to carry out a piece of self-assessment. Further details of this evaluation will be issued later in the year.

If you would like to provide any other feedback or have any outstanding questions regarding action learning, please contact Louise McGurk on 0131 244 2140 or email louise.mcgurk@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

DELIVERING ON JOINT FUTURE

The examples above illustrate effective joint working in particular areas. Joint Future as a whole also needs ownership by stakeholders and their involvement in delivery. The Joint Future Unit has an Involvement and Communication Strategy that engages with stakeholders at a number of different levels, as demonstrated by the map below. It connects the national and local interests.

The groups advise on the development and implementation of policy, support implementation in practical terms and provide learning opportunities. They fall into 2 categories: those supporting and managing the policy, and those assisting practical implementation.

More information on these groups is available on http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/care/JointFuture/ImplementationSupportGroup

Joint Future Involvement and Communication Framework

joint future INFO BURST

News Updates

Care Management Briefing
The CD Roms from the briefing seminars were distributed to SSA leads in April 2005.
Comments to marilyn.tweedie@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Better Outcomes for Older People
A seminar on Joint Services was held on 14 July to launch the Joint Services Framework 'Better Outcomes for Older People', Feedback from the event was issued on 19 August.
Contact linda.watters@scotland.gov.gsi.uk for details.

Encouraging and Supporting Networking National Event - 18 March 2005
This event was held to promote the sharing of good practice and knowledge across practitioners and managers involved in delivering better outcomes for users and carers. For details of the outputs from the day contact Blythe.Robertson@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

JPIAF
Partnership areas have submitted their returns. Draft annual evaluation statements were issued to local partnerships on 4 August.
Contact judith.king@scotland.gsi.gov.uk for further details.

Care Home Staffing Project - update
The Care Home Staffing Project is awaiting Ministerial approval to progress to the next stage. Contact winona.samet@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Action Learning Sets - 21 June 2005
This event focused on the benefits of Action Learning Sets in support of the Joint Future Agenda.
Further details from Louise.McGurk@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

New Joint Future Website Launched:
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/care/JointFuture/Introduction

National Training Pack and Toolkit
A draft training pack was issued for comment on
15 August.
Contact marilyn.tweedie@scotland.gsi.gov.uk for further details.

SSA- IoRN Implementation
Progressive implementation of SSA- IoRN continues across partnerships. ISD continue to provide training and support to partnership areas.
Further details from margaret.quinn@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk

eCare OD Learning Network - 30 June 2005
This event focused on a review of the eCare Success Measures. Pre-implementation (of the local eCare technical solution) measures are to be developed with further work to be undertaken to integrate with other exercises, such as JPIAF. Further details from Blythe.Robertson@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Delayed Discharge Learning and Sharing Network
The seventh meeting was held on 12 July. Further details from brian.slater@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Joint Improvement team website launched

One of the key aims of the Joint Improvement Team ( JIT) is to help to improve shared learning opportunities and to do this we have just launched our interactive website which offers an information and advice service at www.jitscotland.org.uk .
On the site you can find more information about the work of the JIT, development work on the key themes and also a unique A to Z index of key terms/issues important in partnership working. The website also offers an information service where we are able to receive requests for specific information, undertake background work and research and provide advice either directly or via members of the JIT Action Group whose knowledge and expertise we are able to draw upon.

The JIT has been established to help to accelerate the pace of service improvements delivered through health and social care partnerships across Scotland. The team will be working intensively with 3 or 4 partnerships each year to tackle the issues and challenges that partnerships identify.

In addition the JIT will also be working with small groups of partnerships to develop good practice in a number of key themed areas including:

• Housing with support
• Integrated transport services
• Intermediate care
• Better use of resources (through joint resourcing and joint commissioning)
• Performance management and user and carer involvement
• Managed care networks

If you are interested in any of our work and wish to contact the JIT we can be contacted via the website or direct on 0131 244 3652.

update on delayed discharge

Since the launch of the Delayed Discharge Action Plan in March 2002, the number of patients delayed for over 6 weeks has fallen from 2,075 to 717
(-60.6%) with the total number of patients ready for discharge reducing from 3,116 to 1,430 (-54.1%). The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care, Lewis Macdonald, praised the remarkable achievement by local authorities and NHS Boards who have been working closely together to tackle this problem. Following the recommendations of Audit Scotland ( Moving On? An Overview of Delayed Discharges in Scotland) and the Tripartite Working Group ( Report on Delayed Discharge), Ministers have decided that the 20% reduction for 2005-06 should be based on the April 2005 target and not on the actual outcome at that date. This will remove the potential disincentive to exceed local targets. It means that those partnerships who performed well in the last year have some leeway for next year while those who failed to meet their target will be expected to catch up.

A Sharing and Learning Network for Delayed Discharge is well established, so if you would like more information on this, and other developments in this area, please contact Brian Slater on 0131 244 3635 or e-mail brian.slater@scotland.gsi.gov.uk .

LINKS WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH PARTNERSHIPS ( CHPS)

CHPs are key building blocks in the modernisation of the NHS and joint services, with a vital role in partnership, integration and service design. CHPs will:

• ensure patients, carers and the full range of health care professionals are involved;
• establish a substantive partnership with local authority services (eg: social work, housing, education and regeneration);
• have greater responsibility and influence in the deployment of Health Board resources;
• play a central role in service redesign locally;
• focus on integrating primary and specialist health services at a local level; and
• play a pivotal role in delivering health improvement for their local communities.

The development of CHPs is an opportunity to serve communities better and to build on the joint working foundations increasingly well developed under Joint Future. It is recognised that there is no "one size fits all" approach. Local partners have to agree, within the parameters of the national guidance, what best suits their needs These partnerships will be the local focus for implementing Joint Future, in order to achieve better outcomes for people and their carers. This will include:

• ensuring that services are focused on outcomes;
• setting, delivering and monitoring joint Local Improvement Targets;
• managing and recording performance through their agreed Joint Performance Information and Assessment Framework ( JPIAF); and
• taking action on each of the JPIAF indicators.

Further information about CHPs generally is available from Kathleen.Bessos@scotland.gsi.gov.uk , and on CHPs and Joint Future from Douglas.Philips@scotland.gsi.gov.uk .

Evaluation of the work of the joint future human resources group ( JFHRG)

Consultants were appointed to carry out a formal assessment of the work of the JFHRG. The evaluation is being carried out to determine the extent of national direction that has been established and if the guidance that has been published by the group is clear and practical.

Thank you to those of you who completed and returned the questionnaire. A further thank you goes to those who attended any of the focus groups that were held in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Meetings were to expand on any issues raised in the questionnaires and to gain more detailed qualitative data.

The final report will include proposed recommendations on what further national guidance is required for local Joint Future staff forums from the JFHRG to help implement the Joint Future performance assessment framework, and will be presented at the next meeting of the JFHRG, in September.

Joint Education and Training Report

The report by NHS Education for Scotland ( NES) and the Scottish Social Services Council ( SSSC) is now complete. The report followed an initial mapping exercise focusing on joint future policy with regard to Joint Education and Training Provision. The report details recommendations for the future of joint education and training for health and social care professionals.

The report is currently undergoing a final review. When the review has been completed and the report has received approval, it will be circulated widely for information.

Forthcoming Events

26/27 September 2005 - eCare Conference 2005: Better Outcomes - Better Information Sharing
Further details are available on the conference website at:www.scotland.gov.uk/datastandardsandecare