FIFE'S new joint board for health and social care has been given a £450 million budget to deliver services across the Kingdom.

But it's still facing a £15m funding gap which it hopes to reduce over the next two years through an "ambitious" transformation programme.

Councillor Andrew Rodger, chair of Fife’s health and social care partnership, said they had to look for long term change, not just a quick fix.

"We are living in challenging times with ever-increasing demands and pressures but doing nothing is not an option," he said.

"I want to reassure that nothing will happen without the voice of the public and staff being heard first.

"We already have representation on the board and within our working groups so they are already at the heart of the discussion and actively shaping and informing the decision making.

"This ensures Fife is building services from a place of strength."

The body now responsible for services in Fife, the Integration Joint Board (IJB), has set a one-year budget for 2016/17 to deliver a range of health and social care services relating to all adults as well as children’s community health services.

Despite the joint budget of around £450m, there's a joint funding gap of £15m that needs to be bridged and board members heard a range of proposals to tackle the problem.

They previously approved a three-year plan focusing on prevention and early intervention, integrated and co-ordinated care, improving mental health and wellbeing and tackling inequality.

Around half of the Scottish Government's recent £16.8m funding boost for health and social care in Fife will support the uplift in the living wage from October.

The rest will be invested in the transformation programme, which aims to re-design services and move away from "traditional and costly models of care".

Cllr Rodger said they would ensure every pound of the public purse was spent "wisely and responsibly" and added: "This will be complex and brought in at pace but I am reassured that Fife’s workforce has the experience, skills and professionalism to deliver.

"The uplift in the living wage for our partners in the third and independent sector will help enhance the attractiveness of the sector as a valuable career option for a person to enter as a profession as well as retain skilled professionals already in the industry. This is vital as we look to respond to people’s wishes to stay at home regardless of age or ability.

"Together, with users of services, carers and families at the heart of our decision making, our aim is to create new and sustainable ways of care in communities now and in the future."