Highland Council Wants Views On Community Care

27th April 2010

Public urged to make their views known on Highland community care consultation

Members of the public have eight weeks left to make their voice heard in a consultation on changes to community care services in the Highlands.

The deadline for comments on The Highland Council and NHS Highland's plans for changing Community Care is Tuesday 15 June 2010.

The consultation document sets out the Partnership's approach to meeting the support needs of a range of people in the Highland community. This can include older people and other vulnerable groups, such as people with learning disability, sensory impairment, mental health and/or substance misuse problems and those who are homeless.

A set of booklets has been produced highlighting the key issues for: older adults in need; younger adults in need (16yrs to 64yrs); mental health and/or substance misuse; and all adults in need.

Chair of Highland Council's Housing and Social Work Committee, Councillor Margaret Davidson said: "It is important that the community care plan is understood and discussed in communities across the Highlands. The plan sets out how we intend to provide services in future years and it is vitally important that those who will be affected by community care services make their opinions known to us."

Garry Coutts, Chair of NHS Highland said: "I urge members of the public to get their ideas across to us. This plan is our attempt to make sure they get the service they have told us they need. We are very keen to hear if they agree we are on the right lines or not."

The consultation booklets are being used for discussion in a range of settings. With the assistance of Highland Community Care Forum, Council and NHS Highland planners are engaging with a range of harder to reach groups, including representatives from minority ethnic groups across the Highland community; staff and other stakeholders.

Maureen Macmillan chair of Highland Community Care Forum said: "Highland Community Care Forum is pleased to be working with The Highland Council and NHS Highland. It is our job to make sure that as many people as possible who need or might need community care services have the opportunity to comment and put their views across. In the next eight weeks we will be talking to groups in local communities and carrying individual interviews and throughout the Highlands."

Consultation booklets can be found at Council service points and libraries and at pharmacies and GP surgeries. Questionnaires are also available by requesting a consultation booklet on 01463 702807. People with access to the internet can make their comments known at www.fhcommunities.org