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 all Members and attendees to the Meeting.

The Chair acknowledged Councillor Cooke substituting for Councillor Al-Samarai and advised that this would be a permanent exchange. Additionally, Councillor Cameron, who observed, was welcomed as a Substitute Member.

The Chair expressed her appreciation for the roll carried out by Councillor Al-Samarai since 2017 and paid tribute to the relevant and robust challenges during that time which exemplified the governance role of the membership. Members agreed to the Chair’s suggestion of acknowledgment.

Members were advised that the Meeting was being observed by a Best Value Auditor.

Members heard that it was World Aids Day and it was fitting to acknowledge this as Aberdeen was the first Scottish city to sign up to the Fast Track Cities programme which aims to have Zero levels of transmission of HIV by 2030 and to tackle the stigma which accompanies the illness.

The Board resolved :-

(i)            to acknowledge the participation and input provided by Councillor Al-Samarai during her time as a Member of the Board and to express thanks for her contribution;

(ii)          to welcome Councillor Cooke to the Board as a Member; and

(iii)         to welcome Councillor Cameron as a Substitute Member.

There were no Declarations of Interest at this time.

During discussions on Article 12 (2C Remodelling Business Case - HSCP.20.049), Councillor Duncan declared an interest as an employee of Unison, one of the recognised staff trade unions but that as she had no involvement from a Unison perspective in this issue at all, did not believe that the nature of interest required her to leave the meeting

Members were advised that Appendices C and D to the report at Article 12 (2C Remodelling Business Case - HSCP.20.049) were exempt and would be discussed in private.

The Board had before it the minute of the last meeting of the Board.

Members heard with reference to Article 12 (Renewals Group - HSCP.20.058) that work continued with the Local Empowerment Groups (LEGs) and that governance arrangements ensured appropriate scrutiny which would also involve regular reporting to the Board and its Committees.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

The Board had before it the draft minute of the most recent meeting of the Risk, Audit and Performance Committee (RAPC).

Members heard from the Chair, RAPC who advised the Committee would take a ‘deep dive’ into a forthcoming Finance report prior to its presentation to the Board Meeting in January 2021 to provide additional assurance.

It was highlighted that the Asset Management Update would feature within the next Strategy Development for 2022.

The Chair, RAPC advised that Article 13 on this meeting’s agenda, (Alcohol Drug Partnership Update – HSCP20.068), had been referred to the Board by the Committee.

The Board resolved :-

to note the minute.

This minute will not be prepared so will require a Chair Overview then presented at next IJB

The Board did not have the draft minute of the most recent meeting of the Clinical and Care Governance Committee (CCGC).

The Chair, CCGC provided an overview of the meeting which identified that more robust reporting around Performance Indicators had been sought and that discussion on the CoVid Response in Care Homes, Care at Home Reports and Primary Care in Scotland had all been informative.

Members heard that Performance Reporting was to be separated between the Board, RAPC and CCGC which would also see an alignment with Operation Home First and reference to the often differing local and national indicators.

The Board resolved :-

to note the update provided by the Chair of the CCCGC and await the minute at its next meeting.

The Board had before it the Business Planner from the Chief Finance Officer, ACHSCP.

Members heard that the planner reflected all reports to be heard at this meeting and the outstanding reports delayed due to the pandemic had been caught up.

The Chair advised Members that the Finance Report due to the January 2021 meeting would provide an important fincial update ahead of the Budget Reporting in March 2021.

The Board resolved :-

to note the Planner.

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

Members heard an overview of the report which highlighted the steady delivery of the flu vaccination together with the capture of learning within the Partnership and NHS Grampian to assist with planning for future pandemic vaccinations.

Members were advised that the Care at Home contract had commenced with the Granite City Care Consortium which comprised ten contractors and was unique in the make up of independent and third sector providers.

The Chief Officer updated Members on the recently completed Criminal Justice Inspection and that a draft report was due soon.

The Chief Officer expressed appreciation of the commitment and efforts of the Partnership staff during this continuing challenging period.

The report recommended :-

that the Board note the content of the report.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendation and verbal update provided.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which presented (a) an amended version of the Board’s Risk Appetite Statement and (b) the latest version of the Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership’s (ACHSCP) Strategic Risk Register.

Members heard that the report and risk register had captured comment and requests from the Board Workshop in October 2020 which had included the introduction of a Risk Matrix to better describe an applied risk position.

The report recommended :-

that the Board comment on and approve the Board’s Risk Appetite Statement and the revised Strategic Risk Register as appended.

The Board resolved :-

(i)            to note the report;

(ii)          to approve the Board’s Risk Appetite Statement and the revised Strategic Risk Register as appended with the addition/amendment of comments provided;

(iii)         to instruct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to present an update on managing the impact of the EU Exit to the Board on 27 January 2021; and

(iv)         to direct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to arrange a Risk Workshop during October 2021.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which presented an update on the development of effective locality working in Aberdeen City.

Members heard that the report followed by the Board Direction on 19 November 2019 to bring an update on commitments that had been made within that initial report in relation to progressing the four phases of implementing locality working.

Members heard that despite restrictions around the continuing pandemic a there had been a number of positive developments in relation to the development of the locality impairment groups and the upscaling of these together with integration of operational teams within locality.

This included the proposed integration and alignment of the Board’s localities work within the community planning localities, a result of very positive partnership working between Partnership staff and partners in Community Planning Aberdeen, as provided at Appendix A which was a draft report to be considered by the Community Planning Aberdeen Board at its next meeting.

Members heard the report detailed the collaborative review of community planning arrangements that was undertaken and the proposals which aimed to reduce duplication of effort and to streamline the landscape for community engagement, offering a clear, accessible route to make it easier, simpler and more appealing for our communities to engage. 

The report recommended :-

that the Board -

(a)          to notes progress of the development of effective locality working; and

(b)          to endorses the proposed integration of locality planning and community engagement models as described in the Community Planning Aberdeen paper at Appendix A.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendations.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which presented an annual report of the work of Community Mental Health Services and sought to highlight progress on the implementation of the Aberdeen City Mental Health Delivery Plan 2020-2023.

Members heard from the Mental Health/Learning Disability/SMS Services Lead that this was the first update provided to the Board following its approval of the three-year plan at its meeting in March 2020.

Members heard that a collaborative approach had been adopted with relevant partners and that despite the continuing, a volume of successful implementation and understanding had been progressed.

Members heard that the pandemic had caused some intentions to be modified and new requirements introduced. These had been managed in a coproduction model and sought to ensure service delivery and resource use was maximised as best as possible.

The report recommended :-

that the Board -

(a)          note the progress against the Implementation of the Mental Health Delivery Plan Actions set out in Appendix 2; and

(b)          note the Action 15 spend and new service commitments as set out in Appendix 3.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendations.

Please note that Appendices C and D to this report are Exempt from publication.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which presented an overview on the current position of one of the Partnership priority programmes (the remodelling of 2C General Practices) and sought approval for a recommended way forward.

The Chair reminded Members that he appendices to the report as at Article 15 had been declared exempt and that any discussions involving those items would require to be conducted in private.

The Chief Officer introduced the report and advised Members it presented the options for remodelling the 6 practices in the city which are currently managed by ACHSCP on behalf of NHS Grampian (NHSG), generally known as 2C practices.

Members were reminded of some of the media coverage that the proposals in the had caused some anxieties among patients, the GP practice teams involved and staff side including trade unions, all of which was understandable.

The Chief Officer emphasised that this was not change for change sake and that the remodelling had been focussed with a clear purpose to improve and enhance our GP services in the city and was not about reducing or removing services; it was about making services more robust and sustainable to meet the future needs as demand increases, becomes more complex and resources become tighter.

Members heard that Aberdeen, and the rest of Scotland had to future proof primary care services to respond to increasing demographic and workforce challenges.

Members heard a brief explanation and summary of the existing GP models and that most practices in Aberdeen City and across Scotland are managed as independent businesses by GP Partners. This independent contractor model was the one favoured nationally in the new General Medical Services JMS contract and locally by the Local Medical Committee (LMC). This was the standard model for delivering general practice since the birth of the NHS more than 70 years ago and as such the remodelling is nothing to do with privatisation.

Members were given assurance that a successful procurement process would result in revitalized, safe practices operating under the independent contractor mode still very much part of public sector delivery and that any tender which failed to deliver on this would not be acceptable to the Partnership, nor NHSG

The Chief Officer advised the proposed remodelling aimed to improve the sustainability about GP practices and to ensure the continued provision of safe, sustainable and person- centred care for patients.

Members heard there had been a considerable volume of consultation, engagement and workshops with all GP’s, the wider primary care community in Aberdeen, staff and with the IJB Members also.

Members engaged on considerable questions and discussions, during which the Chair intimated her Declaration of Interest as an employee of Unison, one of the recognised staff trade unions but that as she had no involvement from a Unison perspective in this issue at all, did not believe that the nature of interest required her to leave the meeting.

During discussions, Members expressed comment on existing process, procurement concerns, financial challenges  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which presented a funding update and sought ratification of the Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) proposal  to redistribute previously agreed allocation of funds.

Members heard from the ADP Lead who advised that during the pandemic emergent risks and pressure points which deviated from previous understanding had caused the ADP to reassess its deliver of service and priorities.

The report recommended :-

that the Board -

(a)          to approve the expenditure as set out in paragraph 3.4; and

(b)          to make the Directions as set out in Appendix 2 and Appendix 3 and to instruct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to issue the Directions to Aberdeen City Council and NHS Grampian respectively.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendations

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP.

The report provided an update on the progress made to develop a Transformation Programme to deliver the strategic intent set out in the Grampian-wide Strategic Framework for Mental Health and Learning Disability (MHLD) 2020-2025 and first benchmark report against the Quality Assurance and Performance Management Framework.

Members heard from the Lead Planning Manger (MHLD Review) who presented an overview of the report which the Board had requested at its meeting in April 2020.

Members heard that the Hosted Services had successfully transitioned on 1 April 2020 from NHSG to the IJB with no detriment to existing terms and conditions of staff. The Transformation Board had been established in December 2019 and had held a couple of meetings before arrival of the pandemic and adoption of emergency measures in April 2020.

Members were advised that despite the challenges of the pandemic a degree of success and progress as detailed had been made.

The report recommended :-

that the Board -

(a)          to note the progress made in developing a Draft Grampian-wide Transformation Programme for Mental Health and Learning Disability (MHLD) 2020-2023 and instruct the Chief Officer to bring a final version to the IJB following consultation with key stakeholders to be considered for approval in April 2021;

(b)          to note the progress made on developing a benchmark report for the Grampian-wide Mental Health and Learning Disability Services and agree a timeline of 1st of April 2021 to fully embed as a Performance Score Card in the Aberdeen City HSCP Tableau Dashboard; and

(c)          to note that there will be an IJB workshop in early 2021 on Grampian wide Mental Health and Learning Disability Services hosted by the Aberdeen City IJB.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendations.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP.

The report sought approval to agree financial expenditure to progress projects

to deliver against the ACHSCP strategic aims and progress towards the Scottish Government Action 15 programme plan, previously approved by the IJB on 28August 2018.

Members heard from the Mental Health/Learning Disability/SMS Services Lead that this was an amendment to the previous report which had been presented to the Board at its last meeting and included observations and comments from that meeting.

The report recommended :-

that the Board –

(a)          approve the preferred option 2, as set out in Appendix 1, relating to the HMP&YOI Grampian – Joint City/Shire Prison-wide Mental Health service project;

(b)          instruct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to work with the Chief Officer of Aberdeenshire Health & Social Care Partnership to implement the project as set out in the report; and

(c)          instruct the Chief Officer to make the Direction relating to HMP & YOI Grampian Joint City/Shire Prison-wide Mental Health Project as per Appendix 2 and issue to NHS Grampian.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendations

The Board had before it the Exempt Appendices relevant to Article 12 (2C Remodelling Business Case - HSCP.20.049)

The Board resolved :-

(i)            to maintain the Decision made at Article 12; and

(ii)          to request circulation of the relevant Business Continuity Plans to provide assurance to the Board on the management of these risks.

– Councillor Sarah Duncan CHAIR