The WESTERN ISLES COMMUNITY CARE FORUM was established in 1992 to give the community and voluntary organisations involved in care a voice in community care planning.

Management Committee members are drawn from throughout the islands. Members represent the Forum on, for example, the Social Work Committee, the Western Isles Mental Health Partnership, the Western Isles Learning Disabilities Partnership, Public Partnership Forum, Western Isles Citizens Advice Service, Patient and Carers' Information Project, The Older People's Partnership, Dementia Strategy Sub-group, Health Forum, Service Re-design, Learning Disabilities Review, and Joint Improvement Team meetings. Senior representatives of the Social Work Department and of the Health Board attend quarterly committee meetings.

Voluntary care organisations have been involved, through the Forum, at consultations with Quality Improvement Scotland, 21st Century Review of Social Work Services, Patient Focus Public Involvement, WIHB Self-Assessment etc .

They have also attended consultation meetings / seminars on, for example, Joint Future, Adults with Incapacity, I Reach, Free Personal Care, Scottish Health Feedback, Direct Payments, Independent Living Fund, Children's Strategy Group and local ambulance service consultations.

The Forum publishes the Directory of Care Services, a 'flier' of emergency services, a quarterly Newsletter and is involved in the compilation of a Disabled Access Guide.

A Register of Carers is currently at the head of the priority list (see separate page). The Forum was involved as lead agency in the development of Advocacy Western Isles and worked with the Council to establish Disabled Access Panels throughout the islands. The Forum also co-ordinated a two-year Care Commission Lay Assessor Pilot Project, one of only four in Scotland.

The Western Isles Forum is a member organisation of the Scottish Community Care Forum and an associate member of Carers Scotland.