‘One team’ approach at heart of restructure for Falkirk’s health and social care services

A new management structure is being proposed for Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership, reflecting its expanded remit and providing clear leadership across a complex mix of services.

Since its creation in 2016, the Partnership has worked to integrate local services, with responsibility for the oversight and planning of community health and social care services. Most recently, primary care, prison healthcare and health improvement joined the Partnership’s remit which includes adult social work, alcohol and drug support, care at home, care homes, carer support, learning disability services, community mental health, community health services and dementia services.

Integrating services within this unique and complex landscape presents challenges for any health and social care partnership structure, with the workforce spanning local authority, health board, and community organisations.

Earlier this year, the Partnership agreed to progress a restructure, which has been designed collaboratively with leaders and partners. In drafting proposals for consultation, the new senior management structure intends to:

• Take a one team approach, based on integrity and compassionate leadership;
• Bring together the right people and information to make safe, timely, and successful decisions;
• Provide clear roles and lines of responsibility, accountability, and delegated authority;
• Ensure financial responsibility and accountability is everyone’s role;
• Support a whole-system approach, centred around people in our communities.

The proposed structure realigns our four Heads of Service, and reshuffles services under refreshed service areas to bring together those with most collaboration opportunities and alignment. The four proposed Service areas are:

• Community Services covering Care at Home, Social Work, Care Homes, Community Hospitals, Hospital Discharge, and Out of Hours provision.
• Specialist Services: covering Prison Healthcare, Allied Health Professions, Mental Health, Learning Disability Services, Public Protection, Equipment provision, and Alcohol and Drug Services.
• Finance and Corporate Services: the Chief Finance Officer will lead a new corporate services function which brings together Business and Governance support; commissioning teams; accountancy; and communications.
• Strategy and Transformation: covering primary care; health improvement; strategic planning; policy; performance; equalities; funding and grants; technology enabled care; and transformation.

The new structure intends to provide sufficient governance and leadership within the same financial envelope as the existing establishment and will be implemented in line within relevant Organisational Change policies. There are sufficient posts, existing and new, to ensure all affected staff are placed through the agreed slotting and matching process.

All posts will have been developed and graded in line with Falkirk Council’s and NHS Forth Valley’s grading process, with no foreseen requirement for any colleague to be redeployed as a result of this organisational change. There are a number of vacancies in the current leadership structure which have been held/ filled on an interim basis while this structural review has evolved. Any posts unfilled following the agreed slotting and matching process will be openly resourced in accordance with the Recruitment & Selection policy.

Following a 30-day internal consultation period, it is hoped that most of the refreshed structure will be in place by the end of the year. The staff engagement period begins on 23 August, with the following opportunities to take part:

Invites have been issued directly to staff and stakeholder groups. If colleagues have not received meeting links, please email hscpcomms@falkirk.gov.uk