NHS Forth Valley want residents to have say on ten-year health plan
NHS bosses say the plan looks at the "bigger picture" and will see more joined up services to prevent ill health
NHS Forth Valley chiefs want Falkirk residents to have their say a new 10-year plan that aims to look at the "bigger picture" for local health services.
The aim is to transform how services are delivered locally over the next ten years, in a bid to help health services cope with increasing demands and rising costs while improving people's quality of life.
The draft strategy, agreed by members of NHS Forth Valley 's board this week, aims to move from treating illness to preventing it, with greater emphasis on early support, local services and tackling the wider factors that influence health.
Local people have already been involved in setting out what they consider to be priorities.
Those taking part have highlighted that they want services to communicate better with each other and be more joined up; more services to be available in local communities; and better transport to get to appointments.
As things stand, just five per cent of healthcare spend is focused on prevention.
According to the report discussed by the board: "The cost of failing to put prevention first can be seen in the rising demand for health and social care but also impacts on other public services."
The draft recognises that there are many factors that have a huge effect on how healthy people can expect to be, including employment and income; housing and transport; and health behaviours and lifestyle such as smoking, alcohol, diet and exercise are all important.
The evidence is that since 2019, more people are experiencing poorer health; not only are people dying younger, the number of people dying early is increasing and people are spending more of their life living with ill health.
The NHS is also preparing for a 21 per cent increase in the number of people living with long term conditions between 2020 and 2043.
The key, the report notes, will be working seamlessly with partners including the Integration Joint Board and local councils.
The figures also show the massive effect that poverty has on health, with a 24-year gap in the time spent in good health between the most affluent and most deprived areas of Forth Valley.
The strategy aims to find ways to work more directly with communities, such as one programme that sees nurses working closely with young, first-time mums to give them the support they need.
Other areas that will be prioritised for preventative activity include cardiovascular disease; cancer; mental health; muscle and joint conditions including hip fractures; substance misuse; and respiratory conditions.
There are other programmes already underway that are already seeing some success, such as the Keep Well Service, which aims to prevent Type 2 Diabetes.
The belief is that targeting prevention will actually be a more effective use of money.
For example, NHS Forth Valley spends around £11.5 million every year on dealing with hip fractures.
The aim now is to invest some of this resource into falls prevention work, such as increased physical activity classes in the community; home hazard assessments; frailty and bone health screening for older people; and development of self-management tools for those at the highest risk of falls.
Key priorities in the plan are:
Investing in prevention to help people stay well for longer
Providing support at an earlier stage to help prevent conditions from worsening.
Expanding access to services in local communities, making it easier for people to get the help they need closer to home.
Improving the health and wellbeing of the whole population—not just those already in the healthcare system
Working alongside local councils, charities, community organisations, carers and other partners to address the root causes of poor health
Using resources wisely to get the best value and health outcomes from the funding available.
Ross McGuffie, chief executive of NHS Forth Valley, said: 'The development of this strategy marks a significant shift in how we think about and plan local health and care services.
"We're not just focussing on traditional health services and facilities and the needs of existing patients - we're looking at the bigger picture: how we support everyone to live well, how we reach people earlier and how we work together with our many partners to create healthier communities.
'Extensive feedback from local people, staff and partners has already helped shape the development of this important strategy.
"However, we now want to give people an opportunity to review the draft version to ensure that it captures what matters most to them and provide any additional feedback.
"This feedback will inform the final version and ensure we deliver a strategy that truly meets the needs of our many stakeholders and local communities.'
A new period of further engagement will run from 1 May to 15 June 2025, giving local staff, residents and partners organisations across Forth Valley another opportunity to shape the final version of the Population Health and Care Strategy.
All feedback will be carefully reviewed and a summary of key themes will be published on the Board's website.
Further information and a copy of the draft strategy can be found on the NHS Forth Valley website www.nhsforthvalley.com/healthstrategy
Feedback can be submitted via a short online survey, by email to fv.fvplanningteam@nhs.scot or by post to NHS Forth Valley, Planning Team, Carseview House, Castle Business Park, Stirling, FK9 4SW.
The final version of the strategy is expected to be submitted to the NHS Forth Valley Board for approval in autumn 2025.
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