Posted on behalf of Area Commander David Lockhart, Local Senior Officer for Falkirk and West Lothian, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
 
Dear Voluntary Sector Organisations,
 
Under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, as the appointed Local Senior Officer for the West Lothian area, I am responsible for the Local Fire and Rescue Plan for West Lothian.
 
Following publication of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Strategic Plan 2019-22 in October 2019, I will be reviewing and revising our Local Fire and Rescue Plan for the West Lothian area over the next few months. This review is to ensure our local priorities align to our new strategic ambitions, as well as remaining relevant to local risk.
 
To support the review, my team and I will be assessing a range of statistics to determine if our activities are having the desired impact and to confirm future priority areas.
 
Our primary focus will remain on the delivery of our core functions, but we will also consider how we may collaborate more to expand our reach and support a wider range of local needs.
 
As a Voluntary Sector Organisations, your views are an important part of this review and as such, I wish to invite you to participate in a short survey. The survey is available online on the SFRS Consultation Hub and will be open until 18 March 2020.
 
In due course, I will prepare a report on the outcome of the review. This will inform what revisions will be required in the next iteration of the Local Fire and Rescue Plan for West Lothian.
 
If you wish to discuss this further or wish to discuss any other fire and rescue service matter, please do not hesitate to contact me on:

T: 01324610500 Cisco 3591
M: 07768556211
E: David.lockhart@firescotland.gov.uk

​Please find here the link to the recently launched Inquiry into Social Care, which is being undertaken by the Parliament’s Health & Sport Committee.
 
As you know, the future of health and social care is an issue of growing importance within local communities across Scotland. More and more people are keen to ensure that their needs and expectations are met in increasingly challenging circumstances being faced by NHS Boards and local authorities. As part of its Inquiry, the Committee is seeking views from people with lived experience of receiving adult social care or being a carer for someone receiving care. We would like to hear:

1. Individual stories and experiences of social care in Scotland
2. What people would change about their experience of social care.
Within this, the Committee is keen to receive responses to the following four questions:
1. How should the public be involved in planning their own and their community’s social care services?
2. How should Integration Joint Boards commission and procure social care to ensure it is person-centred?
3. Looking ahead, what are the essential elements in an ideal model of social care (e.g. workforce, technology, housing etc.)?
4. What needs to happen to ensure the equitable provision of social care across the country?
 
The Call for Views closes on 20th February.
 
Also, you may be interested in this very helpful piece from the Parliament’s research service which gives a succinct and clear update of the status of health and social care integration in Scotland: https://spice-spotlight.scot/2019/12/17/where-does-health-care-end-and-social-care-begin-20-years-along-the-road-to-integration/

Scottish Parliament Local Govt and Communities Committee is seeking views on how to achieve community wellbeing. 
 
As well as looking to understand what is meant by community wellbeing, the Committee is seeking views on: 
• The financial impact that poverty has on general community wellbeing (and the life chances of those living in poverty).
• The role of councils and other groups in advancing the wellbeing of their communities.
• The extent to which councils are investing in and improving the public health of communities.
• The effectiveness of organisations working together at community level, such as community planning partnerships and integrated authorities.
For more information and to share your views please click here.

Closing Date 22 January 2020