Review of the Integration Scheme 2025
Argyll and Bute Council · 17 September 2025
Back to Argyll and Bute HSCP Integration Joint Board (IJB) — 17 September 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 INTEGRATION JOINT BOARD Date of Meeting: 17th September 2025 Title of Report: REVIEW OF THE INTEGRATION SCHEME 2025 Presented by: Charlotte Craig, Interim Head of Strategic Planning, Performance and Technology The Integration Joint Board is asked to: • Note the proposed revisions detailed within the updated Integration Scheme (appendix 1) and the summary revisions document (appendix 2), as approved by Argyll and Bute Council and NHS Highland Board at their meetings held in June/July 2025 • Note the arrangements that have been put in place for the joint consultation exercise as set out at section X of this report and , and the Consultation and Engagement Strategy (appendix 3). • Note that a further update will be reported to the IJB following the conclusion of the consultation exercise. 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 A report was tabled at the IJB on 26th March 2025, to advise IJB members of the requirement to review the Health and Social Care Integration Scheme (the Scheme) and the proposed steps to achieve this. 1.2 A joint review of the Scheme has now been undertaken via the Working Group put in place for this purpose, with Senior Officer representation from across the Council, Argyll and Bute HSCP, and NHS Highland. This report sets out the proposed revisions to the Scheme, as agreed by the Council and NHS Highlland at their meetings held in June/July, and provides details of the arrangements put in place to undertake a joint consultation with prescribed stakeholders. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 Note the proposed revisions detailed within the updated Integration Scheme (appendix 1) and the summary revisions document (appendix 2), as approved by Argyll and Bute Council and NHS Highland Board at their meetings held in June/July 2025 2.2 Note the arrangements that have been put in place for the joint consultation exercise as set out at section X of this report and , and the Consultation and Engagement Strategy (appendix 3).
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2 2.3 Note that a further update will be reported to the IJB following the conclusion of the consultation exercise. 3. DETAIL OF REPORT Review of the Integration Scheme 3.1 The legal requirement to complete a review of an Integration Scheme is set out in Section 44 of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act). The Scheme must be reviewed each subsequent period of 5 years beginning with the day on which the Scheme was approved, in this case 23rd March 2021. 3.2 On this basis a review of the Scheme is required by law to be completed by 23rd March 2026. The statutory responsibility to review the Scheme sits with the Board of NHS Highland and Argyll and Bute Council. 3.3 Drawing on the approach adopted for the previous review of the Scheme, which was undertaken in 2019/20, a Working Group was established to determine and agree any revisions required to the Scheme. The Working Group, made up of Senior Officers from across the Council, Argyll and Bute HSCP, and NHS Highland met on numerous occasions between March and May 2025 and have now concluded their review. The proposed revisions to the Scheme are detailed within appendix 1 and summarised in appendix 2. These revisions have been agreed by the Council and NHS Highland at their respective meetings held in June/July 2025. Next Steps 3.4 In accordance with Section 46(4) of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, the Council and the Health Board must jointly consult with groups and individuals, to include the prescribed stakeholders and any others deemed appropriate. 3.5 The Consultation and Engagement Strategy, attached at appendix 3, sets out the background and purpose of the exercise, and provides an overview of the approach, including:- • An 8 week consultation period from 25th August to 19th October 2025. Specific timescales or methodology for consultation are not prescribed in the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, however the suggested 8 week consultation period is in line with national/local guidance on consultations. • Details of the statutory / non statutory stakeholders. In line with the 2014 Act, the prescribed stakeholders are:- - Health professionals (GPs, management teams, clinical groups inlcuding nursing staff and allied health professionals) - Users of health care - Carers of users of health care
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3 - Commercial providers of health care - Non-commercial providers of health care - Social care professionals - Users of social care - Carers of users of social care - Commercial providers of social care - Non-commercial providers of social care - Staff of the Health Board and local authority who are not health professionals or social care professionals - Non-commercial providers of social housing - Third sector bodies carrying out activities related to health or social care - Highland Council - NHS Greater Glasgow and Cyde • Details of the survey question set and how consultees can respond to the consultation / get in touch with any questions or queries. • An operational plan, setting out the proposed engagement method(s) for each stakeholder group. 3.6 Following the consultation period, Argyll and Bute Council and NHS Highland will take into account any views expressed during the consultation prior to finalising the draft revised Integration Scheme. A report on the agreed revisions to the Integration Scheme following consultation will be submitted to meetings of Argyll and Bute Council and the NHS Highland Board at the earliest opportunity thereafter. 3.7 In the event that the consultation feedback suggests no further changes to the Scheme and voices no opposition to the proposed changes, the two Chief Executive Officers are authorised to approved the draft revised Integration Scheme on behalf of the Council and the NHS Highland Board prior to submitting to the Scottish Government for approval. 3.8 Thereafter, both parent bodies must jointly submit the revised Scheme to the Scottish Ministers for approval by the 23rd March 2026 deadline. 3.9 The Council and NHS Highland must publish the revised Integration Scheme as soon as practicable after it takes effect. 4. RELEVANT DATA AND INDICATORS 4.1 The legal requirement to undertake a quinquennial review of the Integration Scheme is set out in section 44(5) of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014. 5. CONTRIBUTION TO STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 5.1 The Scheme and Standing Orders provide the key governance documents for the IJB that support the delivery of the work of the Health and Social Care Partnership.
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4 6. GOVERNANCE IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Financial Impact - none arising from this report 6.2 Staff Governance – none arising from this report 6.3 Clinical and Care Governance – none arising from this report 7. PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY 7.1 Senior Officers from Argyll and Bute Council, HSCP and NHS Highland met regularly between March and May 2025 as part of the Working Group tasked with reviewing the Scheme. Following the conclusion of the consultation the Working Group will reconvene to review the responses. 8. EQUALITY & DIVERSITY IMPLICATIONS 8.1 None arising from this report 9. GENERAL DATA PROTECTION PRINCIPLES COMPLIANCE 9.1 Activity is undertaken in line with GDPR regulations. 10. RISK ASSESSMENT 10.1 If the review of the Integration is not completed within the designated timescales, there is the risk of non-compliance with statutory measures under the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014. 11. PUBLIC & USER INVOLVEMENT & ENGAGEMENT 11.1 Both partner bodies are jointly undertaking a formal consultation exercise in accordance with Section 46(4) of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014. The Council and the Health Board must jointly consult with groups and individuals, to include prescribed stakeholders, and any others deemed appropriate. 12. CONCLUSIONS 12.1 In line with the provisions of section 44 of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 a review of the current Integration requires to be completed and ready for submission to Scottish Ministers no later than 23rd March 2026. This report advises IJB members of the actions being taken to fulfil this requirement, including a statutory consultation exercise which is running from 25th August to 19th October 2025. 13. DIRECTIONS Directions required to Council, NHS Board or both. Directions to: tick No Directions required x Argyll & Bute Council NHS Highland Health Board Argyll & Bute Council and NHS Highland Health Board
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5 14. PREVIOUS REVIEW OF THE REPORT Meeting Title of report Date Output (if relevant) N/A REPORT AUTHOR AND CONTACT Name: Laura Blackwood - Directorate Support Officer Email: laura.blackwood@argyll-bute.gov.uk