New care plans aim for early intervention to cut dependency on acute services

Your recent report “Crisis in care sees families told to step intofillthegap”(7june),onthe presentation of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board’s plan to City of Edinburgh Council Committee, gave a welcome spotlight on the issues that face our care services in the city and, importantly, what the IJB is both doing and planning to address them.

However, I felt the need to write as I think the emphasis the article made on one issue was slightly misleading and may have raised concern and anxiety for people who depend on our service.

While I absolutely accept and acknowledge we have significant challenges currently, and that our performance in regard to delayed discharge is unacceptable, it is not the case that we are “asking families to plug the gap” but rather our new approach will include a shift towards preventative and early intervention activity that will reduce dependency on acute services and crisis support.

In our plans and in discussion at the council’s governance risk and best value committee I highlighted that we do need to enter into different conversations with the public in respect of the role of the statutory sector (health and council services).

We need to encourage and grow our partnership with voluntary and community groups and organisations, as well as families, as part of a wider network of assets that can help people – especially older people who can be isolated – to remain in their own homes for longer.

We recognise we need to increase the amount of care at home available in the city but, at the same time, make what we already have go further by ensuring we regularly review people’s services so we don’t over-provide for some at the risk of under or not providing for others.

The Edinburgh IJB is already doing some very innovative work with the voluntary sector and initiatives with carer organisations – our ultimate aim is that we can support people to remain as independent as possible in their home and community or in a homely setting, and to do that we need to ensure that families can be supported to provide that care and support as they might wish to, as well as ensuring all statutory, voluntary and community services work together as part of a wider network.

I’d end by once again reiterating the integration joint board’s commitment to improving our performance in Edinburgh and to the people and carers that we support.

JUDITH PROCTOR Chief officer, Edinburgh Health

and Social Care Partnership