Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland statement on the Scottish Government’s Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) welcomes the publication of the Scottish Government’s Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework.

Jane-Claire Judson, Chief Executive of CHSS, said: “We welcome this framework and agree that large-scale reform is needed to ensure the sustainability, quality and accessibility of health and social care services in Scotland. We note the commitment to continue to implement the rehabilitation framework and look forward to an update on progress. 

“While the recently launched Public Health Framework focuses on primary prevention, the Renewal Framework focuses on secondary and tertiary prevention – helping to detect and manage conditions that people are already living with.  

“With the number of people living with long-term conditions in Scotland continuing to rise, this reform and improvements are greatly needed. 

“At CHSS we believe health is built at home and in communities. We are encouraged by the recognition of community-based healthcare and rehabilitation, which not only includes primary care but also the expertise, skills and delivery capacity of the third sector. This is vital for a whole system change, person-centred care, and achieving No Life Half Lived for the 1 in 5 who live with our conditions. 

“By working together, we can deliver the best care to those who need it most. This can only be achieved through collaboration and better integration between the voluntary and statutory sectors. CHSS has long called for this approach, and we are pleased to see the Scottish Government’s commitment to it. 

“We also welcome the commitment to develop a nationally co-ordinated approach to capturing and using patient reported outcomes and experiences to shape services. People with long-term conditions are the true experts in their own daily lived experience and management of their condition; they spend over 95% of their time outwith the health and social care system. A stark reminder that the current system is only present and accessible for a fraction of their journey and a sustainable approach to supported self-management is essential. 

“The development and roll out of a digital front door presents significant opportunities and aligns with the work already underway by charities like CHSS. Partnership working will be key to ensuring a system that is holistic and designed with the individual in mind. There is also a need to move at pace – people in Scotland have been waiting for a digital patient health record for over a decade. 

“The Scottish Government must, in partnership, now turn words into action. Real integration requires targeted and prioritised investment, structural and cultural reform, and a genuine shift in how public services respect and collaborate with third sector organisations. Only then can the ambitions if this framework be fully realised. At CHSS we are excited and ready to engage in this work in support of the Scottish Government’s plans.”