Please note: This page is currently under review
The South Yorkshire Health and Social Care Integration Programme is a shared focus that aims to identify, develop and embed opportunities to integrate health and social care through a workforce lens.
Collaboration with partners across the South Yorkshire Integrated Care System is at the centre of the Health and Social Care Integration Programme, overseeing delivery of agreed projects that support both health and social care.
The Social Care Integration workstream was launched in 2020 on the back of the initial activities of the Future Workforce Hub.
This early work focused on building the foundation to enable the development of an integrated workforce and the shared common themes including, organisational collaboration, community member inclusion, Place-based partnerships, compassionate leadership, commissioning change and tackling health inequalities. The programme continues to thrive by developing the objectives according to the needs of the sectors and varying influences.
Central government has been producing guidance that encourages integration in the health and social care sector for several years. The workforce, which is a component of the community, is well positioned to witness the consequences of ‘fragmented delivery’ and has first-hand knowledge of the advantages and issues relating to integration.
Developing into "One Workforce" to essentially support the care of our communities, to which the health and social care workforce belongs, may be one of the most important factors in resolving challenges and creating the environments for the workforce to develop and flourish, bringing quality for the people receiving care and value to the people who deliver the care.
So, in April 2024, with a strong focus on integration, from a workforce perspective, we set out on a journey of discovery, ensuring alignment with local plans, regional directives and national guidance. This resulted in a co-designed approach being developed called ‘Connecting the Unconnected’. This approach clearer sets out pathways for the three key focus areas, Commitment to Carers Partnership, Nursing Workforce within Social Care and Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (Delegated Healthcare Activities.