Report: Health and social care integration: update on progress

The integration of health and social care services is a major programme of reform, affecting most health and care services and over £8 billion of public money. The reforms are far reaching, and aim to ensure services are well integrated and that people receive the care they need at the right time and in the right place. Given the scale of the reforms envisaged, we are carrying out three performance audits so that we fully understand, and are able to assess, progress with health and social care integration. Our first audit report was published in December 2015.

This second audit will examine the impact public bodies are having as they work together to integrate health and social care services in line with the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014. We will seek to answer the following questions:

• What impact is integration having and what are the barriers and enablers to this change?
• How effectively are integration authorities (IAs) planning sustainable, preventative and community based services to improve outcomes for local people?
• How effectively are IAs, NHS boards and councils implementing the reform of health and social care integration?
• How effectively is the Scottish Government supporting the integration of health and social care and evaluating its impact?