Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the first meeting in the Health Village after the summer break and thanked staff who had supported the city events.  He extended a warm welcome to new members ACC Trade Union representative, Brenda Massie and Interim Chief Finance Officer Jonathan Belford supported by ACC Deputy Chief Finance Officer, Bernie Bularan.

The Chair welcomed Alex Cumming - Executive Director of Operations and Billy Watson – Chief Executive Officer of SAMH who were to provide a presentation in place of the usual video.

Finally, the Chair commended everyone involved in the commissioning and opening of the Stoneywood Road dedicated complex care facility.

The Board resolved:-

to note the Chair’s remarks.

Members are requested to intimate any Declarations of Interest or Transparency Statements

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

The Board resolved:-

to note that the Chair advised that he had a connection in relation to article 4 on the agenda (Presentation by SAMH) by virtue of (1) being a Member of the Diverse Experiences Advisory Panel, a named partner in the Scottish Government’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Delivery Plan; and (2) the Depute Representative of said Group to the Scottish Government Mental Health and Wellbeing Leadership Board, however having applied the objective test, he did not consider that he had an interest and would not be withdrawing from the meeting.

Members are requested to determine that any exempt business be considered with the press and public excluded

There was no exempt business.

Alex Cumming - Executive Director of Operations and Billy Watson - Chief Executive Officer, SAMH  will present draft plans ahead of the formal announcement for the Nook coming to Aberdeen in 2026.

Members heard from Alex Cumming - Executive Director of Operations and Billy Watson – Chief Executive Officer of SAMH who presented their Strategy for 2025-29 and information on their new community mental health provision, ‘The Nook’.

The Board resolved:-

to note the information provided.

The Board had before it the minute of its meeting of 1 July 2025 and the 2025 Attendance Record.

The Board resolved:-

(i)            to approve the minute as a correct record; and

(ii)          to note the Attendance Record.

The Board had before it the draft minute of the Risk, Audit and Performance Committee meeting of 27 August 2025.

The Board resolved:-

to note the minute.

The Board had before it the draft minute of the Clinical and Care Governance Committee meeting of 17 June 2025.

The Board resolved:-

to note the minute.

The Board had before it the Business Planner, which was presented by the Chief Officer.

The Board resolved:-

(i)            to note the reasons for (1) removals at lines 13 (Climate Change Project and Reporting), 14 (ACHSCP Annual Performance Report) and 15 (Strategic Review of Neuro Rehabilitation Pathway Phase 1 Evaluation); and (2) the transfer at line 25 (Primary Care Improvement Plan Update); and

(ii)          to otherwise agree the Planner.

The Board had before it the IJB Insights Sessions Planner prepared by the Strategy and Transformation Manager.

The Board resolved:-

(i)            to note that the date for the October session was confirmed as 31 October 2025; and

(ii)          to otherwise agree the Planner.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP who presented an update on highlighted topics and responded to questions from members.

The report recommended:-

that the Board note the detail contained within the report.

The Board resolved:-

(i)            to instruct the Chief Executive – Aberdeen City Council, to issue a Service Update in respect of the workforce approach for the recruitment of the ACHSCP Chief Finance Officer;

(ii)          to agree that a review of the situation would be undertaken in a private session with Members at a date to be agreed after the 2026/27 Budget meeting; and

(iii)         to otherwise agree the recommendation.

The Board had before it a report seeking agreement to appoint new Chairpersons to the Risk, Audit and Performance and Clinical and Care Governance Committees.

The report recommended:-

that the Board:

(a)          appoint Ritchie Johnson as Chairperson of the Risk, Audit and Performance Committee for a period not exceeding three years, commencing 30 November 2025; and

(b)          appoint Councillor Lee Fairfull as Chairperson of the Clinical and Care Governance Committee for a period not exceeding three years, commencing 30 November 2025.

The Board resolved:-

(i)            to thank the outgoing Chairs for their service; and

(ii)          to otherwise agree the recommendations.

The Board had before it a report prepared by the Deputy Chief Finance Officer – ACC, presenting the forecasted financial performance of the IJB for the period Quarter 1 of 2025/2026 and providing an indicative status of the Integration Joint Board’s Quarter 2 – 2025 /2026 financial performance.

The report recommended:-

that the Board:

(a)          note the financial performance of the IJB in Q1 – 2025/2026 in relation to the 2025-2026 funding availability;

(b)          note the purpose of the presentation of prior fiscal year results to monitor the trajectory of IJB’s service costs, and how it can be used to further evaluate the financial data alignment to the IJB’s Strategic Plan; and

(c)          note the indicative financial performance of the IJB for the period Q2 – 2025 /2026.

The Board resolved:-

to agree the recommendations.

The Board had before it the 2024/25 audited accounts and the External Auditor’s Annual Audit Report for consideration prior to approving the accounts for signature.  The Audit Director and Senior Audit Manager - Audit Scotland, introduced the reports and responded to questions from Members

The report recommended:-

that the Board:

(a)          consider and agree the Integration Joint Board’s 2024/25 Audited Accounts for signature, as attached at Appendix A of the report;

(b)          instruct the Interim Chief Finance Officer to submit the approved audited accounts to NHS Grampian and Aberdeen City Council;

(c)          instruct the Interim Chief Finance Officer to sign the representation letter, as attached at Appendix B of the report;

(d)          consider the External Auditor’s Annual Audit Report and note the recommendations and management comments on the Annual Audit Report Action Plan, as attached at Appendix C of the report; and

(e)          note the draft action plan created by officers in response to the External Auditor’s report, attached at Appendix D of the report. Progress would be monitored through the Risk, Audit and Performance Committee.

The Board resolved:-

to agree the recommendations.

The Board had before it a report prepared by the Chief Nurse and Lead for Frailty and Specialist Rehabilitation – ACHSCP, in respect of the ACHSCP aspect of the 2025 NHS Grampian Unscheduled Care plan and associated bid to the Scottish Government.  The Chief Nurse presented the report and explained that it was linked to report HSCP.25.054 - Shifting the Balance of Care presented to the IJB on 1 July 2025.

The report recommended:-

that the Board:

(a)          note the details of ACHSCP’s plan for the improvement of unscheduled care performance and patient outcomes in NHS Grampian, acknowledging the funding model and the impact that this was required to deliver;

(b)          agree that in line with the ACHSCP Governance structure monitoring reports on this work should be routinely communicated via the ACHSCP Clinical Care and Governance Committee; and

(c)          note that financial oversight of spend against this additional money would be monitored through the Risk, Audit and Performance Committee.

The Board resolved:-

to agree the recommendations.

The Board had before it a report prepared by the Transformation Programme Manager providing an update on activity to the Digital Innovation Programme and Technology Enabled Care Programme since the last report was presented to the Board in September 2024.

The report recommended:-

that the Board:

(a)          note the content of the report as an update on current progress on the Digital Innovation Programme with future updates being presented as part of the quarterly delivery plan progress report to the Risk, Audit and Performance Committee;

(b)          note the successful funding application to the Scottish Government, Invest to Save Fund, of £1,238,627 payable over the financial year 01/04/2025 to 31/03/2026 in connection with the HSCP Digital Innovation Programme – Right Care, Right Time, Right Place bid;

(c)          make the Direction, attached at Appendix A of the report, to Aberdeen City Council; and

(d)          instruct the Chief Officer to issue the Direction to Aberdeen City Council.

The Board resolved:-

(i)            to congratulate the Analogue to Digital Programme Team on their Gold Award Level 2 for Digital Telecare Implementation from the Scottish Government’s Digital Office, for the successful deployment of the Shared Alarm receiving centre; and

(ii)          to otherwise agree the recommendations.

IJB Insights:

·         11 November 2025

·         13 January 2026

Integration Joint Board:

·         2 December 2025

The Board had before it the dates of the next four IJB Insights Sessions and the IJB meeting of 2 December 2025.

The Board resolved:-

to note the meeting dates.

-           HUSSEIN PATWA, Chair.