Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Chair welcomed all to the meeting and advised that Lyndsay Stother of Audit Scotland was observing the meeting.

Members were advised that a Minute’s Silence would be observed at 12 noon in acknowledgement of the 1 year anniversary of when the UK first went into lockdown as a result of Covid.

The Chair advised that there would be no report as indicated at Agenda Item 13 - Reduction in Notional Rent - HSCP.21.030 which would now be presented at a later date.

Members were requested to intimate any declarations of interest in respect of the items on today’s agenda, thereafter the following was intimated:-

Dr Howarth, Clinical Director, ACHSCP, declared an interest with regards to the 2C Remodelling Project as referenced within the Chief Officer’s Report – HSCP.21.0020 at Article 6 and stated an intention to leave the meeting during any discussion on the subject.

The Board resolved :-

to note this declaration.

The Chair indicated that Article 12, Grant Funding to Counselling Services – HSCP.21.021 was an Exempt Report and would be heard in private.

The Board resolved :-

in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the above item so as to avoid disclosure of information of the classes described in the paragraphs 6 and 9 of Schedule 7(A) to the Act.

The Board had before it the minute of its previous meeting.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

The Committee had before it the Committee Business Planner prepared by the Chief Finance Officer (CFO), ACHSCP.

Members heard that intended reporting continued to be monitored and amended to maintain focus on operation delivery related to the continuing pandemic and the intended cessation of civil contingency measures.

The CFO and Members commented on adjustments at this time.

The Board resolved :-

(i)            to remove Line 15 - Immunisations;

(ii)          to amend Line 18 to show intended reporting in July 2021;

(iii)         to amend Line 20 to reflect national and not local elections;

(iv)         to amend Line 24 to indicate a report to IJB on 2 October 2021;

(v)          to remove Line 28 as a duplicate entry of Line 22; and

(vi)         to otherwise note continuing updates to the Planner.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

In accordance with article 2 of this minute, Dr Howarth withdrew from the meeting during discussions around 2C Remodelling Project.

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

Members first heard from the Chief Finance Officer/Deputy Chief Officer, ACHSCP regarding Point 3.7 - 2C Remodelling – Investigation, who provided an overview of the findings and indicated activities intended to address the recommendations as outlined in the report.

Members then heard from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP who provided an overview of the rest of the report and provided responses to questions around the Strategic Plan and ensuring inclusion of all relevant groups and on the forthcoming Care Inspections.

Members were advised of the winding down intentions and planning around Operation Snowdrop.

Members were reminded of the series of Development Sessions to assist them conduct Board business.

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 was to confirm membership of the Aberdeen City Integration Joint Board (IJB) and to appoint the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board.

Members heard of the legal basis for submission of the report and that both constituent authorities, Aberdeen City Council (ACC) and NHS Grampian (NHSG) had provided their nominations.

Members heard appreciation from the Chair Elect (Luan Grugeon) on the contributions of the departing Chair (Councillor Duncan)  and then from the Vice Chair Elect (Councillor Duncan) who acknowledged the appreciation and indicated an intention to be a fully supportive Vice Chair.

The report recommended :-

that the Board -

a)            endorse the nomination of membership to the Integration Joint Board as proposed by Aberdeen City Council at paragraph 3.2 and NHS Grampian at paragraph 3.3 for the period to 31 March 2023;

b)            endorse the appointment of the Chair and Vice-Chair as proposed at paragraph 3.4 of this report for the period to 31 March 2023; and

c)            instruct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to reconsider these arrangements by report to the IJB prior to 31 March 2023.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendations.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which presented the IJB Scheme of Governance – Annual Review.

Members heard that this report followed from the IJB Meeting of 27 January 2021 which instructed that all amendments and additions to the documents attached at the Appendices to this report be proof-read and amended as required and presented in ‘track change format’ to the IJB for approval, which the Board now had before it.

The report recommended :-

that the Board -

a)            approve the revised Risk, Audit and Performance Committee Terms of Reference, as outlined in Appendix A;

b)            approve the revised Clinical and Care Governance Committee Terms of Reference, as outlined in Appendix B;

c)            approve the revised Standing Orders, as outlined in Appendix C;

d)            approve the revised Roles and Responsibilities Protocol, as outlined in Appendix D;

e)            note that Aberdeen City Council reviewed its Scheme of Governance documents at the Council meeting on 3 March 2021. The changes that impact on the business of the ACHSCP or the IJB and its sub-committees are outlined in paragraph 3.5;

f)             endorse the extension of Councillor Lesley Dunbar and John Tomlinson’s term of office as respective Chairs of the IJB’s sub-committees as proposed in paragraph 3.7.3;

g)            instruct the Chief Officer to scope the potential for Hybrid IJB (or any of its sub-committees) meetings and bring a paper detailing the options to the IJB for consideration; and

h)            note that the Integration Scheme review has been delayed to take account of recommendations arising from the Independent Review of Adult Social Care.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendations.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which provided information of the inclusion of IJB’s as Category 1 Responders, in terms of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and an outline of the requirements that this inclusion involves.

Members heard that in terms of the Civil Contingency Act 2004, this inclusion came into effect on 17 March 2021, therefore the report outlined the background to the Act and the governance arrangements in place in the partnership as well as in NHS Grampian, Aberdeen City Council and the wider Grampian area, through the Grampian Local Resilience Partnership (GLRP)  and the North Region Resilience Partnership.

Members were advised that within the city, the Chief Officer, ACHSCP was already an active participant within the structure and that close working arrangements were already established.

Members discussed inclusion of a risk on the Strategic Risk Register and heard from the Chief Executive, ACC on existing risk register management within the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) which included voluntary organisation participation and the wider community involvement. An offer to assist any development was accepted.

Members agreed that the risk development should be included within the function of the Risk Audit and Performance Committee (RAPC).

The report recommended :-

that the Board –

a)            note the inclusion of IJB’s as Category 1 Responders in terms of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (the 2004 Act); the requirements and the arrangements in place and planned to ensure that the IJB meets its requirements under the Act;

b)            instruct the Chief Officer, as its Accountable Officer, to carry out on its behalf, all necessary arrangements to discharge the duties on the IJB under the 2004 Act;

c)            instruct the Chief Officer to bring a report, annually, providing assurance on the resilience arrangements in place to discharge the duties on the IJB under the 2004 Act; and

d)            agree whether to include a risk on the Strategic Risk Register relating to the IJB’s requirements under the 2004 Act;

The Board resolved :-

(i)            to approve the recommendations; and

(ii)          to agree to include a risk on the Strategic Risk Register relating to the IJB’s requirements under the 2004 Act;

(iii)         to delegate development of the new risk to the Chair of the Risk Audit and Performance Committee; and

(iv)         to instruct the Chief Officer, ACHSCP to report back to a future IJB.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which presented the Care Inspectorate Report - ‘Inspection of Justice Social Work Service’.

Members heard of the process and planning that accompanied the inspection and of the inclusion of staff and clients to develop the report.

Members were advised that activity had commenced on the report’s  recommendations and that IJB Members would be invited to a workshop session on these developments.

Members acknowledged the volume and high level of attainment and compliments in the report and highlighted the worthiness of celebrating and sharing the success and ‘lessons learned’ across the services within both ACC and NHSG.

The report recommended :-

that the Board -

a)            note the contents of this report and the Care Inspectorate report as attached at Appendix A;

b)            agree the contents of the inspection report action plan;

c)            instruct the Chief Officer to facilitate a workshop for the IJB to have further discussion about the scope and performance of the justice social work service; and

d)            agree that the justice social work delivery plan should be presented to a future meeting of the IJB for approval following consultation in respect of the draft plan.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendations.

As referenced at Article 1 of this minute, during presentation of the following report, at 12 noon Members observed a Minute’s Silence in acknowledgement of the 1 year anniversary of when the UK first went into lockdown as a result of Covid.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Finance Officer, ACHSCP which presented the Medium-Term Financial Framework (MTFF), developed after the final levels of funding delegated by Aberdeen City Council and NHS Grampian for health and social care activities in 2021/22 had been approved.

Members were reminded of previous MTFF report formats and to a recent workshop on the topic.

Members heard that regular financial information had been presented to the IJB  throughout the financial year, and additional costs associated with the continuing pandemic had been closely tracked and covered in the budgets. The financial implications of these additional costs were being covered by additional funding obtained from Scottish Government through the Local Mobilisation Plan, who to date, had delivered on this promised funding.

Members were advised that whilst the CFO had a better understanding of the costs, it remained unclear which of these costs would be recurrent and what could be done to manage them within any future system. As the social care system is in a transitional state and shifts between potentially two models and that some of that shift reflected the priorities of the IJB.

Members heard that whilst there remained a predicted deficit of between £5-£6 million annually within the forecasted 5-year plan, there remained some uncertainty and thus a risk around future funding levels.

The report recommended :-

that the Board -

a)            note the anticipated financial out-turn for 2020/21 and the impact on the Reserves position of the IJB;

b)            note the financial allocations proposed to be allocated by the partner organisations;

c)            approve the 2021/22 budget and the Aberdeen City IJB Medium Term Financial Framework included as appendix 1 of this report;

d)            note the intention to earmark £2.5 million in a risk fund at the end of the financial year;

e)            approve the Bon Accord Contract level for 2021/22 of £30,304,000 and budget assumptions noted in sections 3.17 and 3.18;

f)             instruct the Chief Finance Officer to uplift the direct payments for clients with a staffing element included in their payment by 2.2% from 1 May 2021 to cover the increase in the Scottish Living Wage;

g)            instruct the Chief Finance Officer to negotiate uplifts for those Social Care providers not covered by the National Care Home contract;

h)            instruct the Chief Finance Officer to apply a higher uplift should a higher national inflationary rate be agreed for direct payments and contracts not covered by the National Care Home Contract, on the proviso that additional funding is provided to cover any shortfall; and

i)             make the budget directions contained in appendix 2 of this report and instruct the Chief Finance Officer to issue these directions to the constituent authorities.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendations.

In accordance with Article 3 of the Minute the following item of business was considered with the press and public excluded.

The Board had before it the report from the Chief Officer, ACHSCP which advised of grant funding requirements for the financial year 2021/2022 to several counselling services, and updated the Board on the review of service activity to ensure it aligned to the whole system provision of mental health services across the City.

The report recommended :-

that the Board -

(i)            approve the expenditure of up to £199,224 to provide grant funding to the identified grant funded counselling services for the financial year 2021/22;

(ii)          make the direction as attached at Appendix A and instructs the Chief Officer to issue a direction to Aberdeen City Council (ACC) to procure the services provided by ACIS, Cairns and Avenue Confidential; and

(iii)         note the intention to work with providers to review the service activity and ensure that it is aligned to the whole system provision of mental health services across the City.

The Board resolved :-

to approve the recommendations

-       COUNCILLOR SARAH DUNCAN, Chair