Charities get ready for more local health & care services

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is launching a new project which will invest in charities and third sector organisations in several localities across Scotland to help prepare them for the shift of health and social care services to local community level. Applications are currently being accepted for a programme manager post in the new team which will deliver the pathfinder project. Lucy McTernan, Deputy Chief Executive, SCVO said: “The third sector has an exciting opportunity to show just how much it can do to help people in communities across Scotland lead healthy lives. “This new programme will help to scale up the capacity of the third sector to deliver health and social care services in local communities. Offering more local support will mean that people will get the help and support they need so they can avoid the need for more expensive health and care services. “This will help people to lead healthier lives and reduce the spiralling demand for these types of services.” More details on the areas and organisations involved in this work will follow later this month. Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Alex Neil said: “The third sector is at the centre of Scotland’s communities – contributing both to their empowerment and wellbeing, and to transforming the lives of the people within them. It has a key contribution to make within health and social care integration and preventative work, and we are looking forward to seeing what this new project will contribute.” ENDS