What is a Community Health Partnership?

Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) were created following the enactment of the National Health Service Reform (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 7).

CHPs are the successors of Local Health Care Cooperatives (LHCCs) and have been charged with the management of community health services. Acting as committees or sub-committees of the Board they are also supposed to:

• Bring together those providing community based health and social care services
• Feed local needs into Board planning and resource allocation
• Provide a focus for integrating primary care and acute services
• Get involved in community planning to tackle poverty and deprivation in their area
• Be the main NHS agent for the implementation of the Joint Future agenda (aimed at developing closer joint working between the NHS and Local Authorities)
• Be the main NHS agent for implementing the strategy for integrated children’s services

The exact responsibilities and make-up of each CHP differ and are outlined in their 'scheme of establishment'. At present there are 40 CHPs in operation in Scotland.

Each CHP should have a Public Partnership Forum made up of patient groups, voluntary organisations and members of the public. The forums are supposed to give local communities a chance to influence local services.

Funding for CHPs is devolved from the NHS Boards and varies in its extent between CHPs.