At the heart of the new plan is to reduce waiting times and improve access to care and support. This can only be done with a workforce with the skills and energy to provide the improvement care, therefore the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership (EHSCP) will look to progress incentives to recruit more Social Workers and build upon work with the third sector.

The Integration Joint Board will look to increase capacity in our services, by investing in the review and assessment teams in year 1 and improved commissioning to ensure there is better access to both bed-based and mental health services in Edinburgh.

Some aspects of the plan are already in motion with the introduction of a new principal social worker, to strengthen leadership to vital social care services.

Tim Pogson, chair of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board, said: “This new Improvement Plan will put health and social care in Edinburgh back on to the right track. Despite huge demographic and funding pressures, I am confident that the proposals agreed today will allow us to provide the right person-centred, high quality of care that people in Edinburgh deserve.

“With a new strategy to boost recruitment and increase capacity in the first year, we can reduce waiting lists and ensure that we have right people to deliver the right care.”

Linked to the Improvement Plan, the EIJB has agreed a new financial strategy which reduces the £47 million deficit significantly, whilst protecting jobs, services and the standard of care. Under this strategy, savings will be made over three years, instead of balancing the budget in a single year.

This will be achieved through initial investment to proactively assess and improve the care packages for people in Edinburgh. In some instances, this will lead to care being increased, and in other cases it will lead to a reduction in the package only where this is appropriate for the needs of the person and better access to community services.

By using a person-centred approach the Integration Joint Board said it can deliver better results for people and save money over the course of the strategy. In addition, through the use of stronger commissioning and an improved “digital front door” for people looking to access services, the deficit reduction will be made through creating a modern service, fit for the future.

The Improvement Plan and Medium Term Financial Strategy which were agreed at the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board can be found here.