Delivering for Health

The report  “Building a health service for the future”,  was produced by a group led by Professor David Kerr.  The report outlined a framework for the way in which NHS services in Scotland needed to change in the future to respond to a changing Scotland, where although our population is becoming healthier, it is also becoming more elderly.  There has been a growth in long-term conditions and a trend of rising emergency admissions of older people but health technologies and practices are also advancing and all of this means that the way health services are provided has to change too.  The significance of carers in supporting health services was clearly highlighted; their importance in reducing emergency admissions and enabling hospital discharge and in supporting sick, disabled and elderly people in managing their own health. 

In November 2005, the Scottish Executive published their response to the report in “Delivering for health”.   This response again highlights the importance of carers and states clearly that the future NHS must change from the current view where “carers are undervalued” to one where “carers are supported as partners”.  Supporting carers is seen as “a central theme for future health care policy in Scotland” and carers are highlighted in particularly as being integral to supporting those they care for in managing long-term conditions.  To support this health professionals must provide effective information and empower individuals and their carers to take greater control over their own care.  The importance of providing carers with the information and training they need for their caring role alongside building “carer awareness” training into professional training is also focused upon and further guidance will be issued in the form of guidance on the implementation of NHS Carer Information Strategies