A national programme of engagement will take place over the next
year to inform Scottish Government plans for health and social
care reform.
Through a series of direct engagements with the workforce,
service leaders, royal colleges, third sector groups and the
people of Scotland, the Scottish Government will collect views on
how best to transform services to meet changing demands. This is
alongside work already being carried out through the Scottish
Partnership Forum to gather views from NHS staff.
Health Secretary announced the plans as he
outlined to Parliament the Scottish Government's overarching
vision for NHS reform which focuses on key areas including;
improving population health, prevention and early intervention,
providing quality services and maximising access.
He also confirmed that, as part of on-going work to improve
population health, five Scottish institutions will share £5
million of funding to conduct major research programmes. This
includes research into improving rural healthcare, managing
gestational diabetes in pregnant women and informing how
unscheduled care services might better meet people's needs.
Mr Gray said:
“Scotland's NHS is an institution of national pride and the
principles of a health service free at the point of need, must
always be protected.
“Significant transformation to how our health services operate
has never been more urgent and our vision for reform focusses on
changes within current NHS structures to deliver for Scotland.
“I want to give our workforce the voice they deserve, and I am
fully committed to listening and speaking with our amazing health
workers who will inform our future plans.
“The Scottish Government's national engagement will gather
insight from clinicians on how best to respond to health demands
and hearing the experiences of those who care for people in
Scotland is paramount.
“I am also pleased to announce five Scottish institutions – the
Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, St Andrews and Strathclyde,
as well as Public Health Scotland, have been awarded £1 million
of funding each through the Chief Scientist Office to conduct
major research programmes into areas of population health. These
five programmes have the potential to make a significant impact
and can play a vital part in our on-going work in this field.”
Background
Five institutions will share funding of £5 million to conduct
research programmes with a high level of impact to address
important Scottish population health and/or NHS challenges with
up to £1 million available per programme of up to five years in
duration:
- University of Aberdeen – research to improve rural health and
healthcare outcomes for people living in rural areas.
- University of Edinburgh – research to improve the management of
gestational diabetes for mothers and their babies.
- University of St Andrews – research to improve unscheduled care
for people in the last year of life.
- University of Strathclyde – research to reduce the negative
impacts of justice on people's health and increase opportunities
to improve health and wellbeing in disadvantaged communities.
- Public Health Scotland – to support research to improve
pregnancy and newborn screening.
