What is Joint Future?
Joint Future is the lead policy on joint working between local authorities and the NHS in community care. Its main aim is to provide faster access to better and more joined up services through improved joint working. It expects local partnerships to take holistic decisions on the management, financing and delivery of community care services for all care groups.
It focused initially on putting in place the infrastructure - Joint Management and Joint Resourcing, Single Shared Assessment and joint reporting of performance. It now focuses on outcomes - better and faster results for people using community care services. Key to that are the 4 national outcomes for community care, supported by 16 performance measures.
How does the Joint Future Unit (JFU) work?
The Joint Future Unit is charged with delivering on Joint Future. It comprises a mix of civil servants and secondees from local authorities and the NHS. It develops and implements policy, and assesses joint performance. It has developed an extensive range of guidance and set up working groups to advise and deliver on the agenda, together with learning networks and other vehicles to support front line and managerial staff. It works closely with those responsible for delayed discharge, community health partnerships and with the Joint Improvement Team.
Why Joint Future?
Simply because joint working benefits people who use services. Joint Future has succeeded in main streaming joint working across Scotland.
When?
The origins of Joint Future are in the Joint Future Working Group's report (2000). Implementation began formally in April 2003 with delivery of the key elements for older people's services. They were extended to all community care groups from April 2004.