Orkney Islands Council and NHS Orkney Submit Public Service Reform Proposals to Government

Orkney’s Elected Members, NHS Orkney Board Members and Integration Joint Board all give green light to exploring closer working between organisations

Today (Friday 12 December), Orkney Islands Council and NHS Orkney have submitted joint proposals to the Scottish Government to explore how their services can work more closely together. 

The proposals follow months of constructive discussions between the two largest organisations in Orkney, aimed at reducing duplication and finding more efficient ways of working. The goal is to make local services sustainable, better for the community and more accountable to the communities of Orkney that rely on them.

The proposals, titled “A Routemap to Reform,” are part of wider work across Scotland to support public bodies to collaborate more effectively. The Scottish Government has been a strong advocate of this work and, if Ministers approve the proposals, £300,000 of funding will be provided to fund the project. This would include recruiting two temporary officers and delivering community engagement as part of the approach.

The Routemap was endorsed on Tuesday at a General Meeting of Elected Members, on Wednesday by the Orkney Integration Joint Board, and finally yesterday (Thursday) at the Board meeting of NHS Orkney.

The Scottish Government will now consider the proposals and respond in due course.

Heather Woodbridge, Leader of Orkney Islands Council, and Davie Campbell, the Interim Chair of NHS Orkney, have said in a joint statement:  

“We’re pleased that proposals to explore closer working between Orkney Islands Council and NHS Orkney have been endorsed by Councillors, NHS Orkney Board members, and the Integration Joint Board.

“This reflects a shared ambition to build a sustainable, more efficient public sector for Orkney.

“The Routemap to Reform sets out how we’ll explore opportunities for joint working and if approved, the work will be backed by £300,000 from the Scottish Government’s Invest to Save fund, enabling research and public engagement activities to take place.

“By working together, we aim to protect vital services, use resources wisely, and deliver real benefits for Orkney’s communities.”

Oliver Reid, Chief Executive of Orkney Islands Council, and James Goodyear, Interim Chief Executive of NHS Orkney, also said in a joint statement:

“This is a vital step toward ensuring that the essential services our communities rely on in Orkney remain sustainable for years to come.

“Orkney has an older population than many other parts of Scotland, and the average age of residents is expected to rise further. Combined with the geography of our islands, this creates unique challenges in delivering consistent support across our communities.

“Significant effort has gone into shaping and refining these proposals, and we commend our colleagues for their hard work and dedication in supporting the Council and NHS Orkney’s joint development of this document.

“We now await the Scottish Government’s response and look forward to supporting Elected Members, NHS Orkney Board and the Integration Joint Board as we move into the next phase of delivering more efficient and sustainable services for Orkney’s communities.”