The Scottish Access Collaborative enables front line clinical teams to lead the design and development of sustainable solutions to balance capacity and demand for our services. Harnessing the principles of Realistic Medicine and shared decision-making allows clinical consensus on new pathways to develop, ensuring that patients will be seen by the most appropriate healthcare practitioner as quickly as possible.

Working as part of the National Centre for Sustainable Delivery, the principles of the Access Collaborative can shape system change, share best practice and cross-pollinate new ideas to reduce variation and delays. The principles align with the foundations of Scotland’s Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design framework by supporting greater integration, bringing services closer to peoples’ homes, and identifying and implementing sustainable change with quality of experience for service users at the heart.

This session will show how collaborative work streams help to address workforce pressures, improve the Primary and Secondary Care interface and allow patients access to consistently high quality healthcare across Scotland.

Delegates will also learn about the Bringing it Together Virtual Development Programme, the delivery model of which was adapted in response to COVID-19. Using the virtual method of delivery has enabled the Access Collaborative to reach more clinicians and bring people together quickly and more sustainably.