People across Highland, Argyll and Bute are being invited to help shape the future of health and social care as NHS Highland begins public engagement on a new ten year strategy.
The health board has launched an online engagement hub where residents, staff and community partners can share their views on how services should develop over the coming decade.
The strategy will build on NHS Highland’s Together We Care framework and place a stronger focus on prevention, reducing health inequalities and supporting healthier communities.
Health leaders say the engagement comes at a critical time.
Although improvements have been made in recent years, Scotland continues to experience poorer health outcomes compared with many similar countries.
Over the next two decades the number of people living with conditions such as cancer, heart disease and dementia is also expected to rise significantly.
NHS Highland says the new strategy aims to respond to these challenges by shifting more attention towards preventing illness before it develops, while recognising that health is shaped by communities, lifestyles and wider social factors as much as clinical care.
Fiona Davies, Chief Executive of NHS Highland, said:
“This is an exciting step as we develop our 10 year strategy to support people living in Highland, Argyll and Bute.
“We want to hear from our staff, partners and communities to understand what influences health across our Board area.
“Our new strategy will focus on how we can work together to prevent people becoming unwell and tackle the health inequalities that mean some people in our communities are more likely to become ill or die earlier than they should.
“If we act now together, we can create an environment that is fair, sustainable, and focused on preventing ill health for everyone.
“Creating healthier communities means working beyond traditional healthcare to influence all the things that shape people’s chances of healthier lives and delivering real public value by investing in the wellbeing and sustainability of our communities for the long term.
“I would encourage all of our colleagues, partners and communities to visit our engagement hub to ensure your voice is heard and help us build a healthier future together.”
NHS Highland says feedback gathered through the engagement process will help guide priorities for the new ten year plan and shape how health and social care services evolve across the region.
Visit the NHS Highland Engagement Hub at: NHS Highland 10 year strategy. | NHS Highland Engagement Hub
