Abstract
Background: South Ayrshire has a rapidly aging population with one of the highest dependency ratios in the world (reaching 88% by 2040). Traditional health and care models are no longer sustainable. South Ayrshire HSCP is working with communities to radically transform supports and improve outcomes.
Audience: The workshop is aimed at those who plan, commission and deliver health and care services and are looking to engage meaningfully with people throughout that process.
Approach: We will share our experience of engaging communities in developing ideas, implementing changes, refining improvements, providing oversight and measuring impact at a population and locality level and engage the audience in an appreciative inquiry into the approaches that they have used to engage communities to successfully transform upstream supports. Our Learning Disability Strategy was developed in partnership with our Learning Disability Community during 202 in the height of Covid. A League of Champions was formed made up of service users and carers. This League of Champions oversaw the development and delivery of the strategy that emphasised health and wellbeing, choice and control, living independently and active citizenship. The strategy was published in 2022 and has already been delivered (one year ahead of schedule) thanks to the drive of the League of Champions. Taking the learning from this strategy we have taken the same approach in developing our Older People Service Improvement Plan and Mental Health and Addictions Strategy. Most recently in partnership with our third sector interface, we engaged over 300 older people and established three Aging Well Champions Boards to drive the development of our multi-agency Aging Well Strategy and cultural movement that aims to create places, spaces and communities that enable people to thrive into older age. In addition to these population based approaches we have also engaged local communities in the development of our Locality Plans through a combination of 3 people - 3 questions, online engagement and formal engagement through our Locality Planning Partnerships. These locality plans aim to tailor service delivery and oversight to 6 distinct localities. We are working with two Universities to support the evaluation of our work and the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities is providing an independent evaluation of the impact of our Learning Disability Strategy including our approach to engagement. Videos and a presentation will summarise some of our engagement activity and the approach we have taken. We will then use an appreciative inquiry approach to engaging the audience in sharing their experiences and outcomes:- Welcome and introduction 0min- Video showing engagement with Champions Boards (Learning Disability, Aging Well and Mental Health) and Locality Planning Parterships. 0min- Appreciative inquiry - 30min. o Each person speaks for 2mins: Tell us about how you are engaging communities to deliver inspirational transformation of upstream supports.o Scribe captures key points from everyone.o Group agree key themes.- Feedback into the room and close - 0min. Key messages:- Planning and delivery at both a population and local level are needed.- Working in partnership with communities in developing ideas, implementing changes, refining improvements, providing oversight and measuring impact leads to better outcomes.- Staying focussed on working together across organisations and systems, working upstream, and good outcomes. The rest will follow.