The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
‘First in Scotland’ health care plans
Fife has approved an “ambitious” first in Scotland’s primary care strategy, which aims to improve the quality and sustainability of services in the region.
It was approved earlier this week by the NHS Fife Board and was rubberstamped yesterday by the Health and Social Care Integration Joint Board (IJB).
“It is ambitious, but we need to be ambitious,” said Lisa Cooper, head of primary and preventative care services.
“This is a ‘first in Scotland’ approach and we’ve recognised that. It’s a real opportunity to shape our ambition to create a sustainable primary care service both now and in the future.”
Primary care is the natural first point of contact with the NHS for most patients, and it includes a wide range of services including general medical services, community pharmacy, optometry and primary care dental services.
General practices, optometrists, pharmacists and dentists also fall under the primary care umbrella but are mostly independent contractors.
“A good primary care system will provide highquality care for the population it serves, prioritise those at highest risk, support those with long-term conditions to self-manage these conditions as well as possible, and play a significant role in longer term prevention and early intervention and detection of disease and harm,” the strategy explained.
In recent years, Fife’s primary care services have faced a range of ongoing challenges.
The local population is ageing and living longer with more complex medical needs, and the working population is also shrinking – bringing with it staff recruitment and retention issues.
Covid-19 has also left behind significant legacy issues for primary care services, which has changed the way care is delivered and accessed.
The strategy was commissioned by the director of Fife Health and Social Care Partnership and the NHS Fife medical director.
“It focuses on recovery, quality and sustainability of primary care services to ensure we have a resilient and thriving primary care at the heart of an integrated health and social care system,” the paper said.
The strategy highlights a few areas that will be key to its future success, including a focus on finance, premises and workforce.