Partner
Following the recent Health and Wellbeing Forum held during Mental Health Awareness Week, there was a strong sense of optimism about the future of Health and Social Care in the Scottish Borders. The forum brought together a wide range of local organisations, all keen to explore how services could be reimagined to better meet the needs of communities, informed by approaches emerging elsewhere.
The level of engagement reflected a shared commitment across the third sector, statutory partners and community organisations to work differently, collaboratively and with wellbeing at the centre.
The forum benefited from contributions by colleagues from Dumfries and Galloway and from FDAMH, who shared honest reflections on their experiences of delivering change. Their presentations explored:
These insights were particularly valuable in grounding ambition in lived experience. The presentations shared on the day have been circulated to participants for reference.
FDAMH also shared a short film, A new chapter for FDAMH, offering a powerful overview of their journey and future direction.
Building on the momentum from the forum, there is a clear commitment to continue these conversations with a sharper focus on priorities specific to the Scottish Borders. Creating dedicated space for local voices, challenges and opportunities will be central to shaping future approaches to Health and Social Care.
The next opportunity to continue this discussion will take place as part of the Mental Health Providers Forum, hosted by Borders Care Voice. Many organisations already attend this regular forum, which provides a valuable space for connection and shared learning.
Date: Monday 29th June 2026
Time: 1pm – 3pm
Location: Central Borders (Venue TBC)
Places can be booked via:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1989652705803
The Mental Health Providers Forum meets every two months throughout the year. Organisations interested in attending regularly can contact [email protected]. For specific queries, Jenny can be contacted at [email protected].
In the meantime, participants are encouraged to continue sharing their thoughts and questions using Slido.
This can be used to:
The Q and A function will remain open, with responses collated and shared with participants in the coming weeks.
The strong turnout and open discussion at the Health and Wellbeing Forum highlighted the appetite across the Scottish Borders for collaborative, preventative and community-led approaches to wellbeing. By continuing to learn from each other and keeping Borders-based priorities at the forefront, there is a real opportunity to shape services that are responsive, sustainable and rooted in local strengths.
