Developed by the local Integrated Joint Board (IJB), the Strategic Commissioning Plan 2016-2019 outlines the vision, priorities and funding of £191 million worth of health and social care services, the first of its kind for Perth and Kinross.

Councillors will hear that integration authorities such as the Perth and Kinross IJB, which came into effect on 1 April 2016, must prepare strategic plans detailing how they will work together to effectively and flexibly deliver support and care in local communities. The focus is to shift the balance of care to intervene early to prevent later issues arising and ultimately to invest resources to enable this shift, meeting future needs and addressing health and care inequalities.

The finalised Strategic Plan has been developed following extensive formal consultation involving council and NHS staff, elected members, the third and independent sectors, community councils, local GPs and the wider public. 93 per cent of those who responded agreed with the Plan’s priorities and 85 per cent agreed or strongly agreed with its actions and principles.

Over the next three years, the Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care partnership, and the IJB, are committed to five key priorities which will support and enable the development of integrated health and social care services. The plan aims to enable staff, individuals and local communities to work together to improve access, care and the quality of services. It emphasises the importance of person-centred care and decision making, and the transformation of existing services to meet future challenges including a growing older population; and supporting more people with complex needs.

The committee will be asked to note the Strategic Commissioning Plan for 2016-19 and to request regular updates on its progress.

Councillor Dave Doogan, housing and health convener and chair of the Integration Joint Board, said: “In developing this Plan, the focus is on meeting people’s diverse and often complex needs in innovative ways through partnership working.

“We want to help people in our communities live healthy lives at home or in a homely setting, and a key aspect of this is prevention and early intervention to help avoid longer-term issues arising, and enabling people to manage their own care and support wherever possible.

“We have significant challenges ahead of us, however there is a clear commitment to transform the way health and social care are delivered. The Integration Joint Board has recognised that connecting support and services effectively makes a real difference for people, putting their individual needs and circumstances at the heart of decisions.”