The Highland Health and Social Care Partnership welcome the findings of the recent joint inspection conducted by the Care Inspectorate and Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
The report focused on the integration and outcomes of services for adults living with mental illness and their unpaid carers across Highland.
Arlene Johnstone, NHS Highland’s Chief Officer for Community Services, said: “We are pleased that the inspection recognises the positive outcomes achieved for most people living with mental illness, and the strong commitment of our staff, partners, and leadership to delivering compassionate, person-centred care across our communities.”
Fiona Duncan, the Highland Council’s Chief Officer for Health and Social Care, said: “I am pleased to welcome the report and the positive message it has for the people in Highland. It highlights the commitment of staff from both the Highland Council and NHS Highland.”
Chair of the Highland Council/NHS Highland Joint Monitoring Committee, Cllr David Fraser said: “I welcome the Joint Inspection report and the work done to deliver the positive outcomes. I’d like to thank all the many unpaid carers, and staff and partners for their roles in achieving these outcomes.”
The report highlights several key strengths, including:
• Effective early intervention and prevention initiatives that support people to maintain good mental health and wellbeing.
• Strong collaborative working across health, social care, third and independent sectors.
• A clear strategic vision and values-led leadership committed to improving services and outcomes.
• Innovative approaches to reducing inequalities, particularly in remote and rural areas.
• A responsive and impactful carer support service, Connecting Carers, which has improved outcomes for many unpaid carers.
We acknowledge the areas identified for improvement and are committed to addressing them. These include:
• Developing a robust integrated outcomes framework to better capture and use personal outcomes data.
• Enhancing information accessibility for people and carers seeking mental health support.
• Strengthening workforce planning and quality assurance systems to support staff and improve service delivery.
• Scaling up successful pilot initiatives to ensure equitable access to care across all Highland districts.
We are proud of the dedication shown by our staff and partners, and we remain focused on delivering high-quality, integrated care that supports people living with mental illness to live well in their communities. We will continue to work closely with people with lived experience, carers, and our partners, including those in the Third and Independent Sector, to ensure that services are responsive, inclusive, and sustainable.