The role of third sector interfaces: advice note.

6. Changes in the Third Sector Interface role

The Scottish Government has provided transitional funding and is providing further investment via the integrated care fund to partnerships as an enabling resources across the range of partners as a means to drive change. This includes the TSIs as enablers of the third sector role in the Act. This enabling ability in TSIs was illustrated by a valuable 'brokerage' role (e.g. in RCOP) when investment was provided. This role effectively encapsulates a number of the answers to the questions above and centres around three aspects that are essential to making the most of the capacity and knowledge of the third sector in strategic commissioning;

1. In engaging the third sector's views and intelligence and conveying knowledge of its ability and potential to contribute (including the third sector beyond that which may be traditionally associated with health and social care) to plans and delivery models.

2. Building connections and supporting relationship building that leads to innovative solutions within and across sectors (such as links between preventative and crisis services that reduce repeated interventions).

3. Harnessing that potential by building the collaboration and capacity to help fulfil the ambitions for health and social care.

This role is regarded by the Scottish Government as essential to the aims of strategic commissioning and thus requires that the TSI is identified as the lead in supporting, promoting, developing and advocating for the third sector in health and social care integration.