The Highland Learning Disability Provider Forum (the Forum) aims to provide the opportunity for organisations working with people with learning disabilities in Highlands to:
- Improve collaborative and supportive working through sharing good practice and live issues.
- Improve collaboration with health, community planning, advocacy and social care colleagues.
- Contribute to the strategic development planning process.
- Improve capacity to implement policy and legislative frameworks, particularly – The Keys to Life, Health and Social Care Integration (HSCI), and Self Directed Support (SDS).
- Improve skills and knowledge throughout the work force.
Representatives from NHS Highland regularly attend and contribute to Forum meetings.
Chairperson
The Forum is chaired by one of the members of the group, who is elected by Forum Members. The Chairperson chairs Forum meetings, help to draw up the Agenda with the Facilitator, identifies guest speakers to be invited, attends other groups and meetings and takes other appropriate action on behalf of the Forum and its membership as required. Hazel MacDonald from Cantraybridge is the current Chairperson. Vice-Chairperson is Lindsay MacLeod from Inverness College.
Facilitator
The Forum is facilitated by an ARC Scotland team member – Julie Ritchie. They are responsible for organising meetings, inviting guest speakers, taking minutes, maintaining a list of members and circulating information and papers to the members and other appropriate people connected to the Forum.
Meeting Dates
While we can’t meet in person, Highland Provider Forum are currently holding meetings on Zoom. These meetings are usually every 2 months. Julie shares the zoom meeting links and agendas for these meetings by email.
If you are interested in attending these online meetings please get in touch with Julie.
Information from Meetings
Highlands Provider Forum – Agenda 9th January 2019
Highlands Provider Forum – Agenda 3rd April 2019
Government Policy
The Provider Forum keeps up to date with local and national information and activity around key Government policies:
The Keys to Life
The Keys to Life is the Scottish Government’s Strategy for improving the quality of life for people with learning disabilities. For more information visit keystolife.info.
Self Directed Support
The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 places a duty on local authority social work departments to offer people who are eligible for social care a range of choices over how they receive their support. More information at: