In May 2024 the Scottish Government and COSLA issued updated guidance on public engagement for NHS boards, Integration Joint Boards and Local Authorities, when they are planning and designing services. This guidance is called Planning with People (2024).
We often receive questions from people who are involved in reviews or changes to services about the engagement process and our role. The questions have come from people who use services, carers, communities, and elected members (Councillors, MSPs and MPs). We have pulled this information together into a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document that we hope you will find useful.
We have also developed a short animation to help people and communities understand what the Scottish Government and COSLA, Planning with People guidance means for them and how to get involved. Members of the public, third sector groups and volunteers have given us feedback on what it should cover.
If you have any queries, please contact us - his.engageservicechange@nhs.scot
View transcript
Planning with People
Everyone in Scotland has the right to be involved in how health and care services are planned and delivered. The main ways you can do this are by:
- Giving feedback on your treatment and care,
- Taking part in wider ongoing engagement,
- Getting involved in consultations to give your views on suggested changes to services.
The Scottish Government and COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) has published guidance called ‘Planning with People’. It sets out:
- How health and care organisations should involve people;
- The role of Healthcare Improvement Scotland when changes are proposed to health services.
Planning with People also supports communities by explaining how engagement should be done and how decisions are made to make sure services best meet the needs of people. There may be times when people or communities aren’t able to influence a change to services for financial or safety reasons. On these occasions, people should be told this at the start and the reasons clearly explained.
You can help make NHS boards and Integration Joint Boards more aware of how a proposal may affect you or your community. They will capture this information in impact assessments, which must be considered by decision-makers.
By being involved you have the chance to:
- make sure information is clear and easy to find.
- get information to help you understand why change is being suggested.
- share your ideas with the people who are planning services.
- make sure your views are considered by those making decisions, so that services best meet people’s needs.
Community engagement should help to build confidence and trust between organisations and communities.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland offers advice to NHS boards and Integration Joint Boards to support their public engagement. Healthcare Improvement Scotland will check if a board’s engagement fairly meets the requirements set out in Planning with People.
Find out more about planning with people. Visit hisengage.scot/pwp or scan the QR code.