Where are we now?
April 2024 : Community Update
On 4 April, we issued a community newletter on our progress to date.
A copy of this newsletter can be downloaded here.
March 2024 : Integrated Joint Board Budget 2024-25
On Thursday 28 March 2024 East Lothian’s Integrated Joint Board met, and agreed, a balanced budget for 2024-2025. This was undertaken in the context of an extremely challenging financial landscape, requiring difficult decisions to be made to deliver savings in excess of £10 million. Further details regarding the budget decision can be viewed online here.
The outcome of this budget setting process will have a direct impact on the feasibility and viability of some of the short-listed options detailed below. This will be documented and detailed as part of the next appraisal stage of this project.
February 2024 : Hurdle Criteria Exercise
The task of assessing the ‘long-list’ of options against the Hurdle Criteria fell to the overarching Project Team and the Independent Community Panel.
Hurdle Criteria
- Will the option lead to increased wellbeing and improved outcomes for service users in East Lothian?
- Will the option enhance service and clinical sustainability and is it able to evolve and adapt to meet future need? (e.g. does it meet the health and wellbeing needs of the present population, without compromising those of future generations?)
- Will the option provide fit for purpose infrastructure that supports East Lothian’s current and future older population?
- Will the option achieve long term financial viability?
Each member of the assessment panel was asked to individually review the long-list suggestions against the four hurdle criteria questions above via an online survey in advance of the face-to-face exercise which was held on 21 February to review and confirm the outcomes of the options.
Hurdle Criteria Result
Following the hurdle criteria assessment, a total of 61 options were added to the ‘Short List’.
February 2024 : Community Update
On 1 February, we issued a community newletter on our progress to date.
A copy of this newsletter can be downloaded here.
January 2024 : Engagement Feedback Report
We began our first round of engagement activity in August, and concluded in December, connecting with communities, staff and the third sector to get as many views and ideas as possible.
In total we received 2,458 individual pieces of feedback from respondents about their experiences and suggestions on how we can improve older people's services in East Lothian.
The 2,458 pieces of feedback was categroised into 19 recurring themes.
After analysing the feedback, a total of 314 suggestions had been put forward by respondents.
These were consolidated into 105 long-list options.
The project team have created a downloadable PDF report on the communications and engagement process between August to December 2023.
Download the Communications and Engagement Report Aug-Dec 2023
Updated background data report - January 2024
During the stakeholder engagement sessions held between August and November 2023, some concerns were raised about the pertinence of the data and projection figures, specifically relating to the provision of hospital beds and care home places. The initial assessment report (published in Oct 2021) used the data and information available at the time which covered a period of 7 years up to 2020.
Given the pandemic, the publication of the 2022 census data, and changing hospital landscape within East Lothian, a request was made to revisit these projections with the most up to date data available. To ensure due diligence, the project team completed a revised analysis assessment, using data collected from NHS Lothian's TRAK (real patient data) bed occupancy figures for 2023, and the 2022 census data published to date.
Download the updated background data report - January 2024
November 2023 - Community Update
On 14 November, we issued our first community newletter on the project's progress to date.
A copy of this newsletter can be downloaded here.
Project Timeline
For further details on each stage is undertaken please visit: the "Making Decisions Together" page.
