Category 1 Responder Assurance Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 29 January 2025
Back to Argyll and Bute HSCP Integration Joint Board (IJB) — 29 January 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
1 Integration Joint Board Date of Meeting: 29 January 2025 Title of Report: Category 1 Responder Assurance Update Presented by: Charlotte Craig The Board is asked to: ▪ Review progress against the recommendations made in last year’s report ▪ Be advised of assurance in the delivery of the duty ▪ Note that Strategic/operational Risk Registers inform capacity to respond 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The role and duties of the Integration Joint Board are contained in appendix 1. The IJB receives an annual report for assurance with six monthly reporting to the Audit and Risk Committee. The HSCP participate in local and regional resilience partnerships and benefit from partnership professional advisory on the HSCP support and role in response. The HSCP is an active participant and using the recommendations has sought to embed its role in the resilience partnership. While there has been some development over the course of the year in the planning and delivery of exercises it remains imperative that the HSCP staff continue to play an active role, are active in training and exercises and ensure that the partnership approach provides the best opportunity for response for communities in Argyll & Bute in shared resource. The proposal into the next year would be to maintain the approach in supporting planning, planned exercises and indeed in response and learning from response. The HSCP will ensure it remains an active partner. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS The IJB is invited to review progress for assurance noting six monthly reporting to the Audit and risk Committee. 3. DETAIL OF REPORT The report will seek to provide an update for assurance on the delivery of the IJB’s duty in partnership.
Page 2
2 In January 2024 the IJB was presented with an initial assurance update which made a range of recommendations for activity over the course of the next twelve months in relation to the IJB’s duties (link below). ARGYLL & BUTE CHP FINANCE DEPARTMENT The IJB while a public body with operational and strategic responsibility does not employ health and social care staff and as such responding staff are the same resource available to partners who also are Category 1 responders. This report will address the previous recommendations and note any additional activity. 1. The HSCP will work closely within Local Resilience Partnership (LRP) to ensure that it fully represents risk within health and social care services as part of the wider response The HSCP continues to attend as an active partner of the Local Resilience Partnership supporting delivery of the workplan. It has contributed feedback when requested and proactively in planning. 2. Monitoring of staff training completion, participation in exercises to support and evidence locality capacity, plan, do and review process to ensure continual improvement. Training in Emergency Centre response and Incident Management was completed in May 2024, several staff were trained in supporting a Casualty Bureau for an exercise in November 2024. Staff have also participated in a number of exercises and events which has delivered excellent learning opportunities. The HSCP has participated in exercise planning with Oban Airport exercises and worked in conjunction with Police Scotland and the Wider LRP to deliver a draft Sever weather plan for Argyll and Bute with additional professional advisory from the Head of Resilience NHS Highland and West of Scotland LRP. Initial conversations have taken place in respect of shared practice in developing Caring for People response. In addition the HSCP co-hosted with NHS Highland a master’s level student in Emergency Planning for University of Stirling who undertook a review of integrated approach. 3. Develop an HSCP assurance framework supported by the partnership for consideration at Audit and Risk Committee and reported to the to the IJB At this stage the assurance is measured by the assurance frameworks applied to existing Category 1 responders. This is being reviewed at national level for a cross cutting standard. Further update to the IJB in 2026. 4. Review HSCP warning and informing routes and ensure that senior leadership teams are aware of the need to develop and disseminate risk-based community information in line with national guidance provided in response. HSCP on call staff are shared with a wider group of stakeholders and the development of multi-agency relationships and communication networks has improved warning and informing networks – particularly in relation to severe weather. Communications are tested regularly through events and staff are
Page 3
3 more aware of the balance of national and agency led communications pre, during and post response. Regular updates are provided to the LRP Emergency Directory. 5. Include this within the assurance framework for the IJB to ensure that plans are in place to communicate the appropriate hazards and threats faced by the local community. Testing and participating in local plans enables communication with consistent key messages disseminated for developing preparedness. The ability of the IJB/HSCP to influence at the planning stage impacts on the messaging positively. This is reported six monthly to the Audit and Risk Committee and annually to the IJB. 6. Review best practice in the inclusion of IJB alongside HSCP representatives within Local and Regional Resilience Partnerships The annual review of IJB preparedness was undertaken with the Argyll & Bute HSCP supporting this exercise as part of the Scottish Government working group. Officers continue to participate on behalf of IJB’s as required. Officers continue to attend network groups for shared practice. 7. Review availability of senior managers within the HSCP to take part within a Resilience Partnership during an extended response Review and confirm the role of the IJB during an incident Active participation in exercises has seen a measured approach to response however the review of the on call function is likely to yield a clearer identification of need, training requirements and allocation of resource during response and potential for prolonged response. There is an on call review ongoing. 8. Completion of the planned PARD approach to the management of vulnerable people data both before and during an incident PARD was tested during the Evening Star exercise. Data and GIS mapping is available but still some work required in finessing it alongside the weekly vulnerable people updates and reading the data provided alongside other agencies who may present data in different ways. 9. Invite feedback from agency partners on any improvement and information sharing not already governed. Scottish Government conducted its annual review of IJB’s as previously noted to look at the embed of the Category 1 responder duty and were content with development to date. Participation in exercises is highly beneficial and hugely enjoyable for staff also giving the opportunity to create and consolidate multi agency relationships supporting relational practice. 10. Review of the on call pack and approach to response utilising current planning and identified need. The on call function and pack is under review with a small working group of senior on call. An analysis of activity will be completed in February 2025 which will aim to elicit where activity is generated, what it is and whether this can be addressed by training or standard operating procedures. This will be the first building block for the review.
Page 4
4 4. RELEVANT DATA AND INDICATORS Eclipse has capacity to identify PARD data for GIS mapping. 5. CONTRIBUTION TO STRATEGIC PRIORITIES Supports meeting a duty allocated to the IJB and supports partnership working and wider resilience. 6. GOVERNANCE IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Financial Impact - none 6.2 Staff Governance - none 6.3 Clinical and Care Governance – considered as response requires 7. PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY Officers of the HSCP meet on an informal basis fortnightly with the Council and NHS resilience managers to share risk, practice, local intelligence and support relational practice. This offers the benefit to the IJB of regular professional advisory. 8. EQUALITY & DIVERSITY IMPLICATIONS The diverse needs of communities and communities of interest require to be considered in the planning of response. 8. GENERAL DATA PROTECTION PRINCIPLES COMPLIANCE PARD data sharing is supported by inter agency data sharing agreements and specific guidance during response. 9. RISK ASSESSMENT The LRP have considered the National Risk Register applying the identified risks to Argyll & Bute. Resilience partnerships also have a Community Risk Register which is updated by partners. National Risk Register 2025 - GOV.UK Community Risk Register | Ready Scotland Risk Assessments and Legislation On 16 January the Scottish Government also issued a response to the UK Covid-19 inquiry’s first set of recommendations. There are 10 recommendations for the four UK nations including risk assessment and improving pandemic response. Work underway to strengthen response to civil emergencies - gov.scot Ensure that business continuity and response is taking cognisance of the wider strategic and operational risk and potential impact on response. 10. PUBLIC & USER INVOLVEMENT & ENGAGEMENT None specific to this report however the IJB should note that Communities are encouraged to have their own resilience plans supported by Local Authorities.
Page 5
5 11. CONCLUSIONS The IJB continues to develop its capacity in delivering this duty. It requires to continue to resource and work in partnership with Local Authority and NHS and the wider resilience partnership to ensure it can participate in multi- agency response. 12. 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 13. PREVIOUS REVIEW OF THE REPORT Meeting Title of report Date Output (if relevant) N/A REPORT AUTHOR AND CONTACT Author Name Charlotte Craig Email charlotte.craig@argyll-bute.gov.uk
Page 6
6 Appendix 1 Role of Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) IJBs are identified as Category 1 responders under Schedule 1 Part 2 17A of the Civil Contingencies Act (2004). IJBs employ no specific staff and own no facilities, and their business-as-usual function is to offer strategic direction to Health Boards through Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs). They primarily operate a strategic and planning role in their relationships with Health Boards and Local Authorities. This strategic function should be recognised in emergency planning, where IJBs should play a key role in preparing the strategy for responses. Part of this strategic planning should involve considerations of service recovery at the appropriate stage of the emergency response. By contributing a strategic view to emergency response, IJBs can identify solutions to be delivered during an emergency, but their primary function should be the strategic planning of emergency responses, supporting and co-ordinating with Health Board and Local Authority preparations. Duties 1. Carry out a risk assessment and contribute to the development of a community risk register. 2. Plan for emergencies, including training and exercising. 3. Ensure robust business continuity arrangements are in place to maintain service delivery. 4. Ensure arrangements are in place to warn & inform the public both before and during emergencies. 5. Co-operate with partner agencies. 6. Share information with partner agencies