MSPs are calling on third sector bodies and other groups to report on their level of engagement with health and social care integration authorities

MSPs are investigating whether patients, carers and the third sector are playing a big enough role in the design and future of health and social care.

The Scottish Parliament's Health and Sport committee is looking at Scotland's new health and social care integration authorities, made up of councils and health boards, to see whether they are upholding their duty to involve local stakeholders when planning health and social care services.

Committee convener Neil Findlay MSP said: “One of the reasons behind integrating health and social care was to ensure that the patient was put at the heart of all services – regardless of who was providing it. We want to establish how well this vision is being delivered on in practice.

“It is important that from the onset the new authorities utilise the knowledge and skills of all those partners in the delivery of health and social care. We want to see how that is being achieved and understand the many ways in which collaboration can improve the delivery of services to the public.

“It’s right that patients, carers, NHS staff, social care staff and the third sector do get a say in the future of health and social services and how these are being delivered. We hope to establish how well this is happening.”

The committee is seeking views from service users, carers, third sector bodies and other stakeholders.

It is asking how and whey they get involved in decision making, whether they were consulted in the prepartion of strategic plans, to what extent they have been involved in the work of their local integration authority and how much that involvement has impacted on decision making.

The deadline for the call for evidence is 8 March 2017.