Health secretary praises health and social care Alliance at its 10th conference
The third sector has a vital role to play in delivering new models of health and social care.
Cabinet secretary for health Shona Robison said the Scottish Government is committed to working with charities to the find innovative means of reshaping health care over the next 15 years.
She told a conference held by the health and social care Alliance that the voluntary sector will be crucial to the success of local primary care hubs, which will bring together practitioners from across sectors, with a continuing emphasis on self-management.
Robison said the work of the third sector ensures “individuals are empowered to be partners in their care and to support decisions and they’re better able to participate in social and economic life.
The four in ten people in Scotland who live with long term conditions are the real experts in their lives
“We need realistic medicine and health care which is not too much or too little but just right for individuals. This is a key theme of the national clinical strategy – we need more collaborative approaches, particularly with those loving with long term conditions.”
The cabinet secretary praised the work of the Alliance, which came together 10 years ago to represent the 2 million people live with long term conditions in Scotland.
She told delegates at its annual conference in Glasgow: “One of the achievements the Alliance can be most proud of, and it’s one of my favourites, is Gaun Yersel, the self management strategy for Scotland – it’s really groundbreaking and there’s both national and international interest in this. Developed by the Alliance for the Scottish Government, this cornerstone policy was written from the point of view of people with lived experience of long term health conditions.
“In 2015 alone the self-management impact fund supported 95 projects, reaching over 20,000 people across Scotland – very, very impressive.”
She added: “I’d like to congratulate the Alliance on today’s 10th anniversary conference, which marks a very successful first decade. Their contribution to ensuring that the voice of lived experience informs policy and practice developments across Scotland has been invaluable and will continue to be so as we move into the new parliament.”
The theme of this year’s conference was “2 million expert voices: listening, learning and leading change".
Alliance chief executive Ian Welsh said: “I am delighted to welcome the cabinet secretary to meet with many of our 1,500 members, including disabled people, people living with long term conditions and unpaid carers, together with those working across health and social care.
“Over the coming term of the Scottish Parliament, we will continue to reinforce the key message of our ‘2 Million Expert Voices’ manifesto; that the four in ten people in Scotland who live with long term conditions are the real experts in their lives. Our manifesto calls for faster transformation in health and social care in Scotland, including through action on loneliness, greater support for self-management and a key role for the third sector."
