The activities implemented were; (a) The preparation of a joint Baseline Study /Needs Analysis based on national studies produced by each partner and background research on policy trends in Europe (b) Development of a generic Learning & Innovation Lab model & using this as a basis for establishing 6 pilot labs in partner regions focusing on the needs of different vulnerable target client groups & including front line health & social care professionals & managers & stakeholders from a range of disciplines, researchers, training providers, NGOs & user groups (c) Development of a Learning & Innovation Platform to host the learning programme being developed, support the exchange of experience between the labs & disseminate the work of the project t national & international levels.(d) Development of a transferable competency framework & online learning programme for front line professionals & stakeholders on the changing policy environment, social innovation and how to set up & implement learning & innovation labs. (e) Piloting the Learning & Innovation Lab model, the platform, competency framework & learning programme in each of 6 partner regions (f) Organising national & transnational mainstreaming & dissemination programmes.
The rationale and need for the project was based on background research and pilot initiatives by the R&D Centre Linkoping and other project partners which identified the urgent need for a new more integrated and client centred approach to the delivery of health and social care services capable of fostering collaboration and overcoming professional and managerial barriers to change, and to provide flexible access to the skills required by front line professional staff and stakeholders to achieve this. A major pan- EU study ‘Integrated Care and Support’ (Sept 2021), led by one of the partners, the European Social Network (ESN), examined services to older people with complex needs, vulnerable families and adults with mental health problems and identified the ‘key drivers’ of integration of these services as including the need to ‘wrap services around the person’ through care packages tailored to individual needs, provide greater coordination between services to reduce fragmentation, and reduce duplication and maximise cost efficiency. It recommended that ' Professionals should be equipped with the knowledge and skills to implement integrated services.'