5 - IJB Director's Report 11-5-22FINAL

North Ayrshire Council · 11 May 2023
Back to Integration Joint Board — 11 May 2023 and its agenda

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Integration Joint Board
11th May 2023
Subject : Director’s Report 
Purpose : This report is for awareness to advise members of North
Ayrshire Integration Joint Board (IJB) of developments within
North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (NAHSCP) 
Recommendation : IJB members are asked to note progress made to date. 
Direction Required to
Council, Health Board or
Both 
Direction to :- 
1. No Direction Required X
2. North Ayrshire Council 
3. NHS Ayrshire & Arran 
4. North Ayrshire Council and NHS Ayrshire & Arran 
Glossary of Terms 
NHS AA NHS Ayrshire and Arran
IJB Integration Joint Board
HSCP Health and Social Care Partnership 
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
1.1 This report informs members of the Integration Joint Board (IJB) of the work
undertaken within North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (NAHSCP),
nationally, locally and Ayrshire wide. 
2. BACKGROUND 
2.1 This report provides IJB with up to date information on recent activity across the HSCP
since the last IJB. The report will also provide COVID related information by exception.

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3. CURRENT POSITION 
National Developments 
3.1 Accounts Commission – IJB Financial Analysis 2021/22 
The Accounts Commission published their report on IJB workforce pressures and
financial challenges on 6 April 2023.    The report highlighted that Scotland’s
Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) face considerable financial challenges and immense 
pressures on their workforce. IJBs have reached the point where significant
transformation will be needed to ensure the long-term capacity, financial sustainability
and quality of services individuals receive. 
Most IJBs underspent on providing services in 2021/22. This was largely because of
difficulties in recruiting staff, which led to unplanned vacancies, and pandemic-related
reductions in service provision. The reductions in service provision were likely to have
contributed to an increase in unmet health and social care needs. 
In 2021/22 IJBs returned significant surpluses, with reserves doubling to over £1.3
billion. This was mainly due to additional funding received late in the year for specific
policy commitments, including Covid-19. 
Across Scotland, IJBs have a combined projected funding gap of £124 million for
2022/23. To be financially sustainable in the longer-term, IJBs must reduce their
reliance on reserves. All IJBs must put in place detailed plans that clearly show how
they will achieve the needed ongoing savings on a recurring basis and support
urgently needed service transformation.   
The Accounts Commission report will be considered further in more detail at the IJB’s
Performance and Audit Committee in June. 
3.2 Disabled Children and Young People Thematic Review 
The Care Inspectorate advised on 6th April 2023 their intention to undertake a thematic
review of the experiences of disabled children and young people over the period of
year, commencing in May 2023 and concluding in May 2024. 
The aim of the review is to take account of what matters to disabled children and
provide a national overview of social work’s contribution to how well disabled children
and young people’s needs are assessed, planned for and met.  The Care Inspectorate
will seek a key point of contact from each area for the review and also ask for notes
of interest in being one of the four areas in which they will undertake more detailed
work.

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3.3 HMICS – Policing Mental Health in Scotland – A Thematic Review
HMICS made contact in January 2023 to raise awareness of the thematic review in
relation to the above. In order to gain a local perspective, HMICS noted their intention
to review Police Scotland’s provision of mental health related policing services in
Tayside, Edinburgh and Ayrshire territorial policing divisions. To assist with this
review, a team from HMICS met with HSCP representatives early April, to understand
the local partnership and multi-agency working arrangements in Ayrshire. The report
outlining findings will be published later in the year.
3.4 National Outcomes Review
The Scottish Government are undertaking a review of the National Outcomes. The
National Outcomes describe what it means to improve wellbeing across 11 aspects of
life in Scotland, much has changed since the current version of the National
Performance Framework (NPF) was published in 2018.
From 14 March - 5 June, anyone in Scotland can have their say on the goals that will
guide government, charities and businesses in our country for the next five years.
Have your say - National Outcomes review 2023 (mailchi.mp)
3.5 National Care Service Bill – Extension
Scottish Ministers confirmed on 17th April 2023 that they intend to ask for a further
extension to the Scottish Parliament’s consideration of the National Care Service Bill
(Stage 1) until after summer, having previously been paused until 28th June 2023.
The letter from the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport to the Health,
Social Care and Sport Committee is available on the Scottish Parliament website.
There will now be a formal process to be undertaken within the Scottish Parliament to
consider the request. At this stage the timescales for progressing the Bill are unclear.
Ayrshire Wide Developments
3.6 Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) Gold Accreditation
NHS Ayrshire & Arran and the three Ayrshire
Health and Social Care Partnerships have
been awarded UNICEF’s top accolade for
providing high quality care to families to
support continued breastfeeding.
The Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) Gold
accreditation certificate was presented to
representatives from across the four
organisations on Wednesday 22 March at an
event held at Fullarton Connexions in Irvine.

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The prestigious award was achieved in November last year following an assessment
of Ayrshire’s Health Visiting and Family Nurse Partnership Teams, as well as the
Community Infant Feeding Team. 
BFI standards provide a framework to ensure that infant feeding care delivered to
families is evidence-based, consistent, and supports staff to deliver a service that
provides the best possible care for new families.  Breastfeeding promotes optimum
growth and development for babies, providing nutrition, comfort and protection from
infection, and as such is promoted and supported across Ayrshire and Arran. 
However, the award also recognises the
care provided to families who are
formula feeding and encourages
responsive feeding as a way of
establishing close, loving relationships
with the baby. 
Having first been awarded Baby Friendly
accreditation in 2012, followed by
subsequent re-accreditation in 2014,
2017 and 2020, the Gold Award builds
on this accomplishment with a particular
focus on achieving sustainability. 
North Ayrshire Developments 
3.7 Staff Partnership Awards 
Nominations for the North Ayrshire Partnership Awards
are now closed.   The winners will be announced at the
Celebration of Care event, which will be held at the
Volunteer Rooms in Irvine on Tuesday 20 June 2023.   
These awards are to celebrate Partnership staff, teams
and individuals (employees and volunteers from NAC,
NHS, Third and Independent Sector) who work in health
and social care in North Ayrshire.   We also want to
shine a spotlight on the crucial work or people in our
communities who support and help others to improve
their health or well-being.

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3.8 First Smart Hub 
The transformation from analogue to digital
Community Alarm and Telecare equipment is
now getting under way.  Mr Clough of Skelmorlie
was delighted to be the first client to have his
brand-new digital hub installed on 29th March
2023.  A fuller update on the programme of work
is on the IJB agenda for consideration. 
3.9 North Ayrshire Care at Home Service – Carewatch (Ayrshire) Update 
North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership has recently completed a transfer
from an external care provider, Carewatch (Ayrshire), of all Care at Home delivery to
its inhouse Care at Home service.   For some time prior to Carewatch’s decision to
exit from the contract, the Partnership had been meeting with Carewatch regularly
regarding concerns around the quality, sustainability, and consistency of care
provision in North Ayrshire. 
Prior to Carewatch’s decision to exit the Care at Home Framework contract the HSCP
commissioned approximately 1,600 weekly hours of care for 150 service users across
North Ayrshire from Carewatch.  This care was delivered across all our mainland
localities with the majority of supported service users residing in the Three Towns,
Irvine and Kilwinning areas. 
The Partnership, Carewatch and other key partners have worked together over recent
months to successfully manage the safe transition of care and associated staff from
Carewatch to the HSCP’s inhouse Care at Home service.  Our priority, as always in
these circumstances, was to ensure the care needs of service users continued to be
met and to support the employment and security of the care workforce. 
Whilst not without its challenges, the transfer has been very smooth and any disruption
kept to a minimum.  The transfer commenced on a phased basis on 29 March 2023
and concluded with the final transfer taking place on Wednesday 05 April 2023 with a
total of 78 staff transferring employment from Carewatch to the HSCP. 
3.10 Financial Inclusion Strategy 
North Ayrshire Council is enhancing it’s support to people feeling the strain from the
Cost-of-Living Crisis.  As part of this a programme of work is underway to ensure
Financial Inclusion Services are aligned to meet the needs and increasing demand fpr
support from our citizens.  Recognising the impact of financial hardship on individuals
health and wellbeing outcomes, the HSCP are leading the review and we have
appointed Sheena Campbell as the Senior Manager to take this forward. 
North Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet endorsed the new North Ayrshire Financial Inclusion
Strategy 2023-18 on 21st March 2023.  This highlights new ways of reaching and

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helping those struggling financially to ensure support is available as widely as
possible.
Financial inclusion means that everyone, regardless of their background or income,
have access to advice, information and support in order to help effectively manage
their finances, and avoid health and wellbeing issues linked to debt.
Part of the strategy is to combine the powers of the Financial Inclusion services across
the Council by joining up services such as Money Matters and the Welfare Reform
and Advice Team, and further to incorporate and embed the holistic approach through
existing teams and the Better Off North Ayrshire approach. Futhermore from July a
third sector provider will be commmissioned to provide independent debt advice to all
North Ayrshire residents, noting there is a current gap in support.
Over the next year, a full consultation process will be undertaken with the public and
key stakeholders along with a detailed analysis of local financial inclusion services.
Through this process, the strategy will be reviewed and refreshed for 2024-28 and a
longer-term delivery plan put in place encompassing wider financial inclusion services.
A key outcome of the strategy will be the creation of a Financial Inclusion Partnership
in North Ayrshire. The Partnership will be inclusive with representation from a range
of key stakeholders such as fuel poverty advice services, employability, education and
housing services, housing associations, community link workers, the Food Bank and
Alcohol and Drugs Partnership.
It is hoped that the creation of a partnership will foster collaboration and enable a joint
approach, making the best use of all available resources, to provide the greatest
benefits to individuals, families and communities in relation to entitlements, managing
money, debt, financial literacy, digital inclusion, affordable lending, fuel poverty, health
and more.
COVID Update
No updates.
4. IMPLICATIONS
4.1 Financial
None
4.2 Human Resources
None
4.3 Legal
None
4.4 Equality/Socio-Economic
None
4.5 Risk
None
4.6 Community Wealth Building
None
4.7 Key Priorities
None

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5. CONSULTATION 
No specific consultation was required for this report. User and public involvement is
key for the partnership and all significant proposals will be subject to an appropriate
level of Consultation. 
Caroline Cameron, Director
[Carolinecameron@north-ayrshire.gov.uk/01294 317723] 
Appendices
Nil