This upgraded strategy aims to build on Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire’s (HSCNL) past successes. Its purpose is to ensure a robust engagement and participation strategy is in place to boost involvement and meaningful engagement around health and social care services.

The Integration Joint Board heard that HSCNL has carried out a review of its engagement and participation structure. This resulted in new ways being identified to promote community involvement I health and social care decisions.

Work is now under way, including through Strategic Commissioning Plan engagement events, to build on the successful partnerships already established with networks and voluntary organisations delivering services North Lanarkshire.

The enhanced engagement strategy will:

• Be community led
• Help ensure the strategy works in practice
• Reflect the revised operational structure of HSCNL
• Establish robust links with community boards
• Consider the lasting impact of Covid-19 and recovery of services

To strengthen engagement work in the area, a review of the funding to organisations supporting HSCNL engagement work is also underway. This financial commitment will provide stability and security to support the development of positive practice.

Councillor Tracy Carragher, chair of the Integration Joint Board, said: “This work to further improve the engagement strategy shows Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire’s firm commitment to ongoing and meaningful involvement with the communities it serves.

“It’s encouraging to see the review is leading to an improved approach to engagement and participation. It will further build on the existing strong foundations already in place to increase the involvement of carers, people who use services, the wider community, and the voluntary and independent sectors.

“This commitment to building on local knowledge and experience is central to ensuring services are tailored to community needs. It will also make the most of the considerable community assets that exist in towns and villages across North Lanarkshire.

“A great deal of work is ongoing to establish robust links with Community Boards, which are the foundation of the community planning process in North Lanarkshire, and support improved engagement and participation.

“Multi-agency Local Partnership teams have been launched recently to support the development of the community planning agenda in community partnership areas. Managers from each of HSCNL localities are key members of these forums, and this developing piece of work offers opportunities to fully co-ordinate locality improvement activities.

“There is no doubt whatsoever that plans to deliver services which meet the needs of North Lanarkshire’s communities will be truly successful only with their full engagement and knowledge.”