South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board (IJB) has published its Annual Performance Report for 2021/22 – demonstrating unwavering commitment to care throughout adversity.

The document (supported by an animation) has been released at a time when the health and social care staff and partners negotiate well-publicised, unparalleled challenges.

Lesley McDonald, Chair of South Lanarkshire IJB says the report is a timely reminder of the inherent strength of South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership. Ms McDonald said: “First and foremost, we completely understand that many of the challenges facing our services are also the cause of significant frustration and anxiety amongst the public. We are grateful for people’s patience and forbearance as we maintain and direct vital capacity to support those most in need.

“Our communities should be absolutely assured that our committed staff and partners continue to do their utmost to keep people safe and to deliver the best care possible in unprecedented circumstances. “Whilst we are very much focused on the here and now, this report is a truly inspirational document to reflect on,” added Ms McDonald.

“The rigour and spirit of our Partnership is a golden thread woven throughout the APR’s pages. And that very resilience prevailed despite pressures that have been unrelenting in the last few years.

“Over the course of the period, we encountered national challenges around workforce supply, the continued adversity of the COVID-19 pandemic and ever-increasing demand, to name but a few.  Yet, in this report, examples abound of improvement and innovation that show that teams have done so much more than ‘just cope’.

“As well as deliver safe and effective care, our teams continued to grasp the initiative and have set a national standard of good practice across several fields, also earning a number of awards.

“There’s so much to be proud of and we thank our staff and partners for their ongoing commitment.”

Soumen Sengupta, Chief Officer of the South Lanarkshire IJB said: “As much as this document is a look at the rearview mirror, the concrete evidence of outstanding achievement and exemplary professionalism is a source of strength and confidence in the extreme and well-publicised challenges of the present time.

“The APR also sets the scene for going forward as we endeavour to maintain the wellbeing of the workforce; we continue to invest in key areas to address the increased demand for services, while looking at how to redesign services to maximise the use of resources.

“And, in the current context, we remain completely committed to working with local partners in a concentrated and coordinated effort to stabilise and decompress our services, delivering benefits for both local residents and all of our staff.”

Mr Sengupta added: “Overall, what’s been achieved – and the ongoing commitment of our staff and partners – equips us well for the present day and bodes well for the road ahead.

“These continue to be challenging times for the communities that we serve, which makes the kindness, encouragement and understanding that local people show our health and social care staff all the more appreciated.”

• The APR is available to view: https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/slhscp/downloads/file/403/south_lanarkshire_integration_joint_board_annual_report_2021-2022
• To order a hard copy, please contact Maureen.Bridges@southlanarkshire.gov.uk
• Animation captures spirit of APR: Watch: https://vimeo.com/790094776