All NHS organisations are facing some very significant challenges. The pressure the health and care sector is under is well documented and rarely out of the news.

Below are some of the challenges we are facing in West Lancashire which we need to take into account in order to improve the quality of our services, as well as the health outcomes for local people in the future.

• Our society is ageing
• More people are living longer with long-term health conditions
• Demand on mental health services is increasing
• Costs are rising
• West Lancashire is rich in assets, buildings and skills
• We need to harness what we have in West Lancashire to catalyse change
• Resources are limited
• Poor lifestyle choices mean we need better self-care and focus on prevention
• Access to care should be the same for everyone regardless of location and circumstances
• We have a hard working committed workforce
• There are opportunities to elevate the quality of service delivery
• Communities prefer to receive care closer to home
• Communication and IT need to improve
• People deserve to feel safe within their communities
• People deserve to live longer, healthier and happier lives
• Issues faced recruiting the right workforce
• West Lancashire needs support that is fit for purpose for West Lancashire