An exploration of the integration of health and social care within Scotland: Senior stakeholders’ views of the key enablers and barriers

Abstract

Purpose

The ongoing integration of health and social care in Scotland presents both challenges and opportunities. The purpose of this paper is to consider emerging enablers and barriers to integration by focusing on the views of senior stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presented an opportunity to gain an insight into the integration movement by considering the views of key stakeholders within Scottish Local Authorities, NHS Boards and other relevant stakeholders. These insights, were collected through a combination of interviews and questionnaires.

Findings

This paper highlights a number of factors key to the success of the integration agenda. These include: governing terms and conditions of existing staff; engagement of clinical and professional leads; and synthesising joint outcomes in locality planning. Acts of transformational change such as integration place particular demands upon those in leadership positions. This paper identifies key leadership strengths pivotal to driving forward change, such as effective performance management and influencing skills.

Originality/value

This is one of a small number of papers addressing the scale and scope of efforts to integrate health and social care within Scotland. Integration between health services and social care continues to be a priority of the Scottish Government.

Citation

Hutchison, K. (2015), "An exploration of the integration of health and social care within Scotland: Senior stakeholders’ views of the key enablers and barriers", Journal of Integrated Care, Vol. 23 No. 3, pp. 129-142. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICA-11-2014-0042