13 - 2025-06-18 IJB - North Lanarkshire IJB Governance Document Update 2025
North Lanarkshire Council · 18 June 2025
Back to Health and Social Care Integration Joint Board — 18 June 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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REPORT Item No: 13 SUBJECT: North Lanarkshire IJB Governance Document Update 2025 TO: Integration Joint Board Lead Officer for Report: Claire Rae, Chief Officer Author(s) of Report Kerry Taylor, Business Support Manager DATE: 18 June 2025 1. PURPOSE OF REPORT This paper is coming to the IJB for: For approval ☒ For endorsement ☐ To note ☐ 2. ROUTE TO THE BOARD This paper has been: Prepared By: Kerry Taylor, Business Support Manager ☒ Reviewed By: ☐ Endorsed By: ☐
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3. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that the IJB: 3.1 Review the updated IJB Governance Report 3.2 To note that the Code of Conduct and Declaration of Interest Forms will be issued to IJB members for completion for 2025- 2026. 3.3 To note that the Records Management Plan will be presented to a future Board meeting 3.4 To approve a review of the Standing Orders 3.5 To approve a review of the roles and responsibilities for Board members alongside a new induction process 3.6 Approve the development of North Lanarkshire IJB’s Scheme of Delegations 4. VARIATIONS TO DIRECTIONS? Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A ☒ 5. BACKGROUND/SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES 5.1 Background 5.1.1 The report provides an overview of the recently reviewed governance documents in regards to reporting for the North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board. 5.1.2 It is a requirement of the Integration Joint Board to ensure that they are compliant with The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Prescribed Health Board Functions) (Scotland) Regulations 2014). 5.1.3 The Board’s governance arrangements are set out in a number of “constitutional” documents. Those have been approved and reviewed by the Board at various times since its inception. They are subject to periodic review to ensure they remain legally compliant and are serving the Board’s purposes. It is accepted that good governance assists and promotes good decisions and good performance. 5.2 Code of Conduct and Declaration of Interest 5.2.1 As part of the risk measure for risk associated with fraud, a review of the IJB Code of Conduct took place in April 2023 with the main change to the code of conduct being around how declarations of interest are submitted to the IJB.
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5.2.2 It was agreed at the IJB meeting on the 17th May 2023, that all members would be asked to submit an annual IJB declarations of interest form, with the form having a clearer focus on the nine categories that are listed within the Code of Conduct. 5.2.3 There has been a delay in issuing the Code of Conduct and Declaration of Interest documents to IJB members due to a prolonged vacancy in staffing. The Business Support Manager is now in post and the relevant documentation will be issued to Board members after today’s meeting. 5.2.4 The completed declarations of interest forms will be uploaded to the IJB website North Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership (https://hscnl.org.uk/) and a register of interests including gifts and hospitality received by members will be held by the NL H&SCP Governance team on behalf of the IJB. 5.3 Directions 5.3.1 In January 2020, the Scottish Government issued Statutory Guidance on Directions from Integration Authorities to Health Boards and Local Authorities. 5.3.2 The North Lanarkshire Joint Board must issue a direction in respect of every function that has been delegated to it by NHS Lanarkshire and North Lanarkshire Council which must provide relevant budget information. 5.3.3 Directions are the means by which the IJB informs the Health Board and the Local Authority what is to be delivered using the integrated budget and for the IJB to improve the quality and sustainability of care, as outlined in its strategic commissioning plan. Directions are also the legal basis on which the Health Board and Local Authority deliver services that are under the control of the IJB. 5.3.4 To help ensure that the North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board implements the Statutory Guidance on Directions, a North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Directions Policy was created in 2023 and approved at the IJB meeting on 17th May 2023. The policy was further presented to the Board on 19th March 2025 alongside the directions letters issued to North Lanarkshire Council and NHS Lanarkshire. 5.3.5 The policy details what directions are, how and when directions should be issued and how directions should be implemented and monitored. The policy also includes a Directions template for the IJB to use which has been added to each paper when directions are issued. 5.3.6 To further support the implementation of Directions and to help monitor the progress of issued direction, an annual update report will be provided to the Board. 5.4 Records Management Plan 5.4.1 The Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011 (‘the Act’) came into force in January 2013. The Act obliges the IJB and other public authorities to prepare and implement a Records Management Plan (“the Plan”). The Plan set out proper arrangements for the management of records within the IJB. 5.4.2 The Records Management Plan of North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board was developed in 2020 and demonstrates the commitment of the IJB to continuous
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improvement in the way in which it manages and uses its records. 5.4.3 The plan was due for renewal by July 2025, however due to vacancies within both NHSL Lanarkshire and NL HSCP a review has not yet taken place. The Records Management Plan will be presented to a future meeting of the Board for approval. 5.5 Standing Orders 5.5.1 The Board is required by legislation to make Standing Orders. Some of the content of those Standing Orders is set by legislation, such as the quorum requirement and the Chair not having a casting vote. In other aspects, the Board has flexibility to set its own procedural rules, subject to good governance standards. 5.5.2 The Board’s Standing Orders were first approved by the IJB in 2017, with proposed amendments in 2021. Changes have been minor. They remain in largely the same form in which they were first approved. 5.5.3 The Board is asked to approve a review of the Standing Orders to be presented to a future meeting of the Board. 5.6 Terms of Reference 5.6.1 The Terms of Reference for the Integration Joint Board are formally set out in the Public Bodies (Joint Working) Integration Joint Monitoring Committees (Scotland Act) Orders 2014 with particular reference to the Scottish Statutory Instruments 2014 No.285. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2014/285/pdfs/ssi_20140285_en.pdf 5.6.2 Both sets of Terms of References for the IJB and IJB PFA were presented and approved by the IJB PFA in December 2024. 5.7 Board Member Role Descriptions & Induction 5.7.1 In 2015, Board Member Role Descriptions were approved, with the document setting out the responsibilities that members of the North Lanarkshire Joint Integration Board have. It advises that it should be read in conjunction with the Standing Orders which set out the process and procedures that Board members must adhere to as they conduct the business of the Board. 5.7.2 The Board is asked to approve a review of the role descriptions, alongside a new induction process for Board members. It is recommended that this will be presented at an IJB Development Session to allow for discussion and input, before a report being presented to a future meeting of the Board. 5.8 Integration Scheme 5.8.1 Section 44 of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, notes that “the local authority and the Health Board must carry out a review of the integration scheme before the expiry of the relevant period for the purpose of identifying whether
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any changes to the scheme are necessary or desirable”. The legislation clarifies the “relevant period” as “the period of five years beginning with the day on which the scheme was approved. 5.8.2 A full report on the Integration Scheme was presented to the Board in March 2025. Cabinet Secretary approval for the revised North Lanarkshire Integration Scheme for the period 2024 – 2029 was confirmed in November 2024. 5.9 Annual Governance Statement 5.9.1 The annual governance statement is a statutory requirement. It is included in the Board’s annual accounts for audit. Its form and content are not specified by statute. Instead, it should be prepared in accordance with the CIPFA/SOLACE “Delivering good governance in Local Government Framework” (2016) and related Scottish guidance. CIPFA is the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. SOLACE is the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives. That framework is applied because the Board operates under the Scottish local authority accounting regime. 5.9.2 The draft annual governance statement for 2024/25 is presented to the Board as part of the Unaudited Annual Accounts at its meeting of 18 June 2025 under item 11. 5.10 Scheme of Delegations 5.10.1 There is no statutory requirement for there to be a Scheme of Delegations. It is considered good practice to show the powers delegated and to define the areas of accountability of its officers. It is a key document in governance and decision-making terms. 5.10.2 As the Integration Scheme is now in place, the Board is asked to approve the development of a North Lanarkshire IJB Scheme of Delegations. 5.11 Membership Update 5.11.1 The rules about IJB membership are contained in statutory instruments and reflected in the Integration Scheme. These state that Board members are appointed for three years unless their membership is terminated earlier. Membership can be renewed for further periods of three years at a time or a new member appointed. 5.11.2 The Chair of the IJB should alternate between the voting representatives of North Lanarkshire Council and NHS Lanarkshire. 5.11.3 The rules around IJB membership applies to all members with the exception of the Chief Accountable Officer, Financial Officer and the Chief Social Work Officer who remain on the Board as long as they hold their respective posts. 5.11.4 The following summary represented the current position with a note of appointments and reappointments that require to be endorsed by the IJB;
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Elected members – North Lanarkshire Council All of the current Elected Members have been appointed within the three-year term of office. Cllr Ann McCrory – Elected Member, North Lanarkshire Council - IJB Vice Chair Cllr Claire Barclay – Elected Member, North Lanarkshire Council Cllr Bob Burgess – Elected member, North Lanarkshire Council Cllr Paul Kelly - Elected member, North Lanarkshire Council Non- Executive Directors – NHS Lanarkshire All of the current Non-Executive Directors have been appointed within the three-year term of office. Mr Brian Moore, Non-Executive Director, NHS Lanarkshire Board – IJB Chair Phillip Couser Non-Executive Director, NHS Lanarkshire Board Nauman Dar Non-Executive Director, NHS Lanarkshire Board Siobhan White Non- Executive Director, NHS Lanarkshire Board The foregoing proposals have been agreed by both the NHS Lanarkshire Board and North Lanarkshire Council and there has been no adverse comments. The membership of the IJB has been updated in line with the guidance contained within the Statutory Instruments and Scheme of Integration with reference to the rules around reappointment following a three-year term of office.
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6. IMPLICATIONS 6.1 NATIONAL OUTCOMES Link(s) to National Health and Wellbeing Outcomes People are able to look after and improve their own health and wellbeing and live in good health for longer ☐ People, including those with disabilities or long-term conditions, or who are frail, are able to live, as far as reasonable practicable, independently and at home or in a homely setting in their community ☒ People who use Health and Social Care Services have positive experiences of those services, and have dignity respected ☒ Health and Social Care Services are centered on helping to maintain or improve the quality of life of people who use those services ☐ Health and Social Care Services contribute to reducing health inequalities ☒ People who use Health and Social Care Services are safe from harm ☒ People who work in Health and Social Care Services feel engaged with the work they do and are supported to continuously improve the information, support, care and treatment they provide ☐ Resources are used effectively and efficiently in the provision of Health and Social Care Services ☒ 6.2 ASSOCIATED MEASURE(S) 6.3 FINANCIAL This paper has been reviewed by Finance: Yes ☐ No ☒ N/A ☐ 6.4 RISK ASSESSMENT/RISK MANAGEMENT Relevant Risk Register Details Current Risk Level Risk Owner Choose an item.
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6.5 ENGAGEMENT & PARTICPATION Please tick the engagement and participation objectives that link(s) with this piece of work and provide further details regarding the engagement and participation that was undertaken. Objectives Further Details ☒ Involve stakeholders in the development work aimed at achieving the national outcomes □ Provide stakeholders with information on how to get involved □ Ensure a diverse range of engagement and participation and opportunities are in place to suit different needs □ Measure how well we involve community stakeholders in the planning, design and delivery of our services □ Provide regular feedback on how stakeholder engagement and participation is shaping and influencing service development and delivery □ Provide support to enable stakeholder representatives to participate meaningfully and confidently at meetings □ Develop participation guidelines to ensure a common understanding and set of expectations for both stakeholders and partnership staff □ Support engagement planning and participation in localities, taking account of other engagement activity and local plans across the Community Planning Partnership 6.6 INEQUALITIES & FAIRER SCOTLAND DUTY EQIA Completed & Fairer Scotland Impact Assessment Form Completed and attached to report: Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A ☒
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EQIA added to website: Yes / Date added ☐ No ☐ N/A ☒ BACKGROUND PAPERS APPENDICS Appendix 1 Declaration of Interest CHIEF ACCOUNTABLE OFFICER (or Depute) Members seeking further information about any aspect of this report, please contact Kerry Taylor kerry.taylor@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
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OFFICIAL Appendix 1 Received Date Entered Code of Conduct for Members of the North Lanarkshire Integrated Joint Board Register of Interests Note: If you have no interest in a category, please state “None”. The descriptions provided below are in summary form. For full details refer to the Code of Conduct. Board members must register their registrable interests within one month of becoming a board member and register any changes to those interests within one month of those changes having occurred. Name: Position on Board: Category One: Remuneration Remuneration from Employment Name (Registered name if different) of Employer and Post Held Nature of Business and regularity of remunerated work Additional Comments Details of Employment held Additional Employment held
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OFFICIAL Remuneration from Self-employment Name of Business Nature of Business and regularity of remunerated work Additional comments Details of Self- employment held Additional Self- employment held Remuneration as Holder of an Office Nature of Office held Organisation and any allowances received Additional comments e.g. Frequency Details of Office Held Additional details of Offices Held Additional details of Offices Held
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OFFICIAL Remuneration as a Director of an Undertaking Name of Undertaking Nature of Business and any allowance received Additional comments Details of first Directorship held Details of second Directorship held Details of third Directorship held Remuneration as a Partner in a Firm Name of Partnership Nature of Business and any allowance received Additional comments Details of first Partnership held Details of second Partnership held Details of third Partnership held
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OFFICIAL Remuneration from appointment or nomination by North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board to another body Name of Body Nature of Business and any allowance received Additional comments Details of first appointment held Details of second appointment held Details of third appointment held Remuneration from a trade, profession vocation or any other work Nature of work For whom undertaken and Frequency Additional comments Details of remuneration from trade, profession or other work Additional instances of remuneration from trade, profession or other work
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OFFICIAL Category Two: Other Roles This applies to any unremunerated directorships where the body in question is a subsidiary or parent company of an undertaking in which the member holds a remunerated directorship. Name and registered number of subsidiary, parent or other organisation Nature of business and relationship to company or other undertaking where remunerated directorship under Category One Additional Comments Details of non- remunerated directorship Additional instances of non- remunerated directorship
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OFFICIAL Category Three: Contracts Applies to a registerable interest where the member (or a firm in which they are a partner, or an undertaking in which they are a director or in which they have shares of a value as described in paragraph 4.20 of the Code) have made a contract with North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board: a) under which goods or services are to be provided, or works are to be executed; and b) which has not been fully discharged. Description of Contract (excluding value) Duration of Contract Additional comments Details of contracts entered into None Additional instances of contracts entered into Additional instances of contracts entered into Category Four: Election Expenses If a member has been elected to North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board, then they will register a description of, and statement of, any assistance towards election expenses relating to election to North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board. Source of Assistance towards Election Expenses Description of any Allowance received Additional comments Details of election expenses
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OFFICIAL Additional instances of election expenses
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OFFICIAL Category Five: Houses, Land and Buildings Requirement to declare land/housing ownership or any other right or interest in houses which may be significant to, or of relevance to, or bear upon, the work of North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Description of interest Description of approximate location Additional comments Details of interests in houses, land and buildings Additional instances of interests in houses, land and buildings Additional instances of interests in houses, land and buildings Category Six: Shares and Securities A description of the shares is required if (a) a member owns or has an interest in more than 1% of the issued share capital of the company or other body; or (b) where, at the relevant date, the market value of any shares and securities (in any one specific company or body) that they own or have an interest in is greater than £25,000. Description of undertaking Description of nature of holding (value need not be disclosed) Additional comments
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OFFICIAL Details of interests in shares and securities which may be significant to, or relevant to, or bear upon the work of the IJB
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OFFICIAL Additional instances of interests in shares and securities which may be significant to, or relevant to, or bear upon the work of the IJB Additional instances of interests in shares and securities which may be significant to, or relevant to, or bear upon the work of the IJB Category Seven: Gifts and Hospitality Members should understand the requirements of paragraphs 3.12 to 3.20 regarding gifts and hospitality. As members will not accept any gifts or hospitality, other than under the limited circumstances allowed, they understand there is no longer the need to register any. Date Description of Gift Received from
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OFFICIAL Category Eight: Non-Financial Interests Members may also have other interests and they understand it is equally important that relevant interests such as membership or holding office in other public bodies, companies, clubs, societies and organisations such as trades unions and voluntary organisations, are registered and described. In this context, they understand non- financial interests are those which members of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts might reasonably think could influence their actions, speeches, votes or decision-making in North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board (this includes its Committees and memberships of other organisations to which they have been appointed or nominated by North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board). Description of interest Additional comments Details of non- financial interests which may be significant to, or relevant to, or bear upon the work of the IJB Additional instances of non- financial interests which may be significant to, or relevant to, or bear upon the work of the IJB Additional instances of non- financial interests which may be significant to, or relevant to, or bear upon the work of the IJB
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OFFICIAL Category Nine: Close Family Members Members will register the interests of any close family member who has transactions with North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board or is likely to have transactions or do business with it. Relationship Nature of transaction Additional comments Details of interest Additional instances of interest Additional instances of interest Date of Preparation: Number of Continuation Sheets: Signed: