Agenda, decisions and minutes

The agenda, reports and meeting recording associated with this minute can be found here.

Please note that if any changes are made to this minute at the point of approval, these will be outlined in the subsequent minute and this document will not be retrospectively altered.

The Chair welcomed everybody to the meeting.

Members were advised that given the volume of reports to be presented, there would be a break in proceedings at a convenient point around 11.30am.

Members were requested to intimate any declarations of interest in respect of the items on the agenda.

There were no declarations.

The Chair intimated that there was no exempt business.

The Board had before it the minute of its meeting of 25 May 2021.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

The Board had before it the draft minute of the recent meeting of the CCGC.

Members heard a summary from the Chair, CCGC who highlighted that there had been focus on adult protection matters which had provided considerable assurance to the Committee.

The Board resolved :-

to note the minute.

The Board had before it the minute of the recent meeting of the RAPC.

Members were advised by the Chair, RAPC that the Board’s Audited Accounts had been presented and approved which would be circulated after formal completion.

Members heard that the ACHSCP Leadership Objectives had been presented which provided assurance that connections were maintained with the ACHSCP Strategic Plan, Aberdeen City Council Local Outcome Improvement Plan (ACC LOIP) and the Strategic Objectives and were encouraged to read the report.

The Board resolved :-

to note the minute.

The Board had before it the Business Planner which was presented by the Chief Finance Officer who advised Members that as indicated, the Board’s Annual Reports had been presented to the RAPC on 22 June 2021 and that once final amendments had been made these would be circulated to members.

Members heard of the updates to reporting intentions and that further items would be added to future reporting cycles which would include an update on the Primary care Improvement Plan.

The Board resolved :-

to note the business planner.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which presented an update on highlighted topics.

Members heard an overview of the report which provided a summary of activity within the ACHSCP and included that an Options Appraisal Report on the 2C Project including the Marywell Centre would be presented to the next meeting.

The Chief Officer wished to deliver three key messages which when considered collectively provided some context around the current operating environment which felt to be of benefit to the Board.

1.    Primary, Secondary and Community Care were being delivered within the new normal, which reflected on experiences of living with COVID.

2.    The expectations of individuals regarding what can be done safely was sometimes at odds with what can actually be delivered.

3.    Services have adapted;  developed, redesigned and then responded at pace but within the capability and capacity of a public sector which has been frontline in the struggle against COVID for the past 16 months.

Members heard that service delivery continued via the most appropriate medium aligned to the patient’s needs, digital capability, pandemic constraints and guidance issued. This ensured that where required, face-to-face consultation did happen and dispelled suggestions that all contact was now always digital.

The Chair expressed appreciation on behalf of the Board to all staff involved in the delivery of health and social care services, including those in community settings, and specifically wished that this included, but was not limited to, nurses, doctors, domestic staff, administrative staff, support staff and all partner and agency workforces whether involved directly in front line services or in support or back-office functions.

Members variously endorsed this appreciation.

Members were reminded of a forthcoming Digital Workshop in August 2021 which would explore and further expand around discussions on the digital topic.

The report recommended :-

that the Board note the content of the report.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendation.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which sought to highlight the publication of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care (IRASC) (Feeley Report) commissioned by the Scottish Government.

Members heard from the Lead for Social Work, ACHSCP who presented a summary of the report which contained 53 recommendations within a large document.

Members were advised that the Feeley Report provided the new narrative for social care, focusing on achieving better outcomes with a statement of intent that very much aligned with the Board’s Strategic Plan.

The report recommended :-

that the Board note the content of the report.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendation.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which presented an update on the recently introduced National Whistleblowing Standards and proposed a draft Whistleblowing Policy for the IJB.

Members heard from Business Lead, ACHSCP who provided some context around the national policy and presented an overview of the draft Policy.

Members commented on whether a 5-year review period was too long and suggested that the Chief Officer, ACHSCP may wish to consider an earlier review point which should include Members.

The report recommended :-

that the Board –

a)            note the action taken to communicate the national Whistleblowing Standards that came into effect on 1 April 2021;

b)            instruct the Chief Officer to report on a quarterly basis on any whistleblowing incidents raised under the Standards to the Risk, Audit and Performance Committee and NHS Grampian Board;

c)            consider and approve the draft Whistleblowing Policy for the Integration Joint Board (Appendix A); and

d)            instruct the IJB’s Standards Officer to report on any Whistleblowing incidents raised under the IJB’s Whistleblowing Policy to the Risk, Audit and Performance Committee on a quarterly basis (if any incidents have been investigated and concluded in that quarter).

The Board resolved :-

(i)            to note the action taken to communicate the national Whistleblowing Standards that came into effect on 1 April 2021;

(ii)          to instruct the Chief Officer to report on a quarterly basis on any whistleblowing incidents raised under the Standards to the Risk, Audit and Performance Committee and NHS Grampian Board;

(iii)         to approve the draft Whistleblowing Policy for the Integration Joint Board (Appendix A); and

(iv)         to instruct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to report on any Whistleblowing activity via Report to the RAPC and/or Service Update to the IJB as appropriate.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which provide an update to the Integration Joint Board (IJB) with regards to market facilitation activity during the previous 12 months.

Members heard from the Lead Commissioner, ACHSCP who advised that the report had been delayed due to response to the pandemic, but that delay had also permitted some changes to delivery methods.

The Lead Commissioner introduced the Chair of the Grampian Care Consortium (GCC) to present an overview of market engagement from both a customer and supplier perspective.

Members heard that the IJB had adopted a challenging and new vision in seeking to create the GCC and the Board was appreciative of GCC coming together in the manner they had. The Board was well placed with regard to such procurement activity when viewed in context of the Feeley Report recommendations as the GCC had now been operating for 8 months.

The Chair of GCC advised that experience so far had been very positive and that working collaboratively had assisted deliver positive change and enhanced service delivery.

The report recommended :-

that the Board note the content of the report.

The Board resolved :-

(i)            to approve the recommendation; and

(ii)          to instruct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to present a further update on 15 December 2021.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which presented the summary comparison results from the Health and Care Experience (HACE) Survey undertaken in 2019/20.

Members heard from the Lead Strategy and Performance Manager who advised that the survey was now out of date by some 18 months having been delayed due to the pandemic response and provided an overview of the report.

Members discussed the application of the RAG status throughout the document and enquired on instances of benchmarking.

Members were advised that there was little local influence with some of the data and its presentation which was set by a national standard requirement, however Member’s comments would be considered.

The report recommended :-

that the Board –

a)            note the Summary Comparison Results from the HACE Survey undertaken in 2019/2020;

b)            instruct the Chief Officer to bring a report on the 2021/22 HACE Survey in July 2022 comparing these with the 2019/20 results i.e., pre-Covid and post-Covid; and

c)            instruct the Chief Officer to bring a report on the results of the Local Survey 2022 to the December 2022 meeting of the IJB.

The Board resolved :-

(i)            to approve the recommendations and

(ii)          to instruct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to consider the presentation format of data comparisons.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which presented the Justice Social Work Delivery Plan for consideration and approval.

Members heard from the Lead for Social Work, ACHSCP who provided an overview of the report which had previously been submitted to the Care Inspectorate in a draft format during their inspection.

Members were reminded that the Care inspection report had been very positive and had identified two areas for improvement. These were contained within the Plan.

The report recommended :-

that the Board –

a)            approve the Justice Social Work Delivery Plan; and

b)            instruct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to present an annual update to the Risk, Audit and Performance Committee on the progress being made with the implementation of this  delivery plan.

The Board resolved :-

to  approve the recommendations.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which presented the three Locality Plans which had been developed in the context of the new aligned locality planning arrangements within Aberdeen City using a co-production approach.

The Board heard from the Lead Strategy and Performance Manager, ACHSCP on behalf of the Public Health Coordinator, ACHSCP who had provided apologies.

Members were advised of collaborative working within the three locality areas and with the Community Planning Aberdeen (CPA) Board to develop the plan which was aligned with the Aberdeen City Councill Local Outcome Improvement Plan (ACC LOIP).

Members heard that the plan was a critical document to assist develop the ACHSCP Strategic Plan which would be utilised in the workshop for that purpose on 21 September 2021.

The report recommended :-

that the Board –

a)            endorse the proposed Locality Plans for North, South and Central localities;

b)            further support the development of locality working including the implementation of the plans and development of the Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership (ACHSCP) Strategic Plan; and

c)            instruct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to report to the Risk, Audit and Performance Committee in 12 months with an update on locality planning including implementation of the locality plans.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendations.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which sought approval for the extension of the timeframe of the current Aberdeen City Carers Strategy and subsequent full review.

The Board heard from the Lead Strategy and Performance Manager, ACHSCP who explained the current review was overdue as a consequence of the pandemic response and that the review should have been completed by March 2021. Whilst acknowledging the crucial role carried out by carers and agreeing the current position was not desirable, Members heard that an extension to that requirement was now requested.

Members heard that whilst the review was indeed overdue, it was a requirement of the Carers (Scotland ) Act 2016 to refresh the strategy approved on 27 March 2018 and that consultation with carers was essential as recent data suggested that 34% felt unsupported.

Members heard that a ‘Carers Conversation’ had been developed and would be applied to the review which would also ensure lived experience was captured.

Members heard from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP who wished to provide assurance that carers were being supported in the current pandemic response and that it was appropriate that carers concerns be raised and discussed.

Members heard that whilst the delay was not of choosing, this now offered a further opportunity to deliver a more robust review and redesign building on ongoing carers support across the system.

The report recommended :-

that the Board –

a)            approve the proposal to extend the timeframe of the Aberdeen City Carers Strategy contained in Appendix A;

b)            approve the plans for a subsequent full review of the Aberdeen City Carers Strategy; and

c)            instruct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to bring back the revised  Aberdeen City Carers Strategy for approval to the March 2022 IJB meeting

The Board resolved :-

(i)            to approve the  recommendations; and

(ii)          to instruct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to consider how to provide assurance to the IJB on current delivery of the Carers Strategy.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which sought to provide assurance that the Chief Officer had in place robust arrangements to support the Leadership Team to deliver on the agreed objectives whilst providing support in relation to the wider Portfolio Management approach across NHS Grampian (NHSG) and Aberdeenshire and Moray Health and Social Care Partnerships (AHSCP, HSCM).

Members heard from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP who advised that a portfolio management approach had been developed and was in its early stages and that the Board would be engaged further to offer opportunity for wider integration.

Members heard that the Leadership Team Objectives introduced a further set of arrangements for which it was appropriate the Board ensure sufficient capacity to deliver.

The Chief Officer assured this was the position and that the portfolio approach would also assist preparation ahead of any Feeley Report outcomes and/ or directions.

The report recommended :-

that the Board note the level of assurance provided within the report in relation to Portfolio Management.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendation.

– LUAN GRUGEON, Chair