4. IJB Director's Report - 20-8-26 FINAL
North Ayrshire Council · 20 August 2026
Back to Integration Joint Board — 20 August 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Integration Joint Board 20th August 2026 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.
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3. CURRENT POSITION National Developments 3.1 Care Leaver Payment The Scottish Government has recently introduced a Care Leaver Payment of £2,000 for young people as they move from care into adulthood and more independent living. The payment will be made to those who are legally defined as looked after on or after their 16th birthday and leave care after 1st April 2026 (i.e. those who do not remain in continuing care) or those who leave continuing care after 1st April 2026. The Scottish Government is providing full funding to all local authorities to deliver the Care Leaver Payment on its behalf. This payment will sit alongside the broader package of support that is already in place for care leavers, which includes - but is not limited to - setting up home payments, Continuing Care and Aftercare Support, the Care Experience Bursary, and Council Tax Exemption for care leavers. 3.2 Consultation on proposed changes to SSSC registration requirements The Scottish Government is seeking views on proposed changes to Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) registration requirements, including three new groups of workers to be considered for registration – workers in adult day care services, workers in offender accommodation services, and social work assistants. This follows extensive engagement and consultation run directly by the SSSC to shape these proposals in 2025. The social services workforce is one of Scotland's largest sectors, providing vital support to some of the country's most vulnerable people every day. It is therefore essential that those working in the sector have the support, skills, and values needed to deliver high quality care and positive outcomes for those they are working with. The consultation is open until Thursday 24 September, and all individuals and organisations with an interest in these proposals are encouraged to share their views. 3.3 UK COVID -19 Inquiry – Module 5 Report (Procurement) The UK Covid-19 Inquiry's Module 5 Report (Procurement), was published on 14 July 2026, examining how healthcare related equipment and supplies (PPE, ventilators, oxygen equipment, and testing supplies) were procured and distributed across the UK during the pandemic. The Inquiry found that many procurement and PPE problems experienced during Covid-19 stemmed from inadequate preparedness before the pandemic rather than the emergency response alone.
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The key findings from the report were :- • The UK was inadequately prepared before the pandemic. National PPE stockpiles contained shortages, expired items, and unsuitable equipment. There were no effective plans for emergency procurement or distribution. • Frontline health and social care workers were left without adequate protection, particularly during the early stages of Covid-19. PPE shortages created significant risks for staff and patients. • Procurement processes were rushed and inconsistent. Governments and public bodies had to compete globally for scarce supplies, resulting in inefficiencies and significant waste. • Distribution systems were weak. Even where equipment had been obtained, getting it to hospitals, care homes, GPs and other frontline settings was often problematic. • Billions of pounds were wasted due to procurement failures, poor planning, unusable equipment and stock management weaknesses. The report makes 11 recommendations aimed at improving preparedness for future health emergencies, including: • Better management and maintenance of national stockpiles. • Pre-planned procurement frameworks for emergencies. • Stronger UK-wide coordination. • Improved distribution arrangements. • Ensuring PPE is suitable for a diverse workforce. • Regular testing and review of preparedness plans. 3.4 Envision – Blueprint for a Smart Home of the Future Envision The Digital Blueprint for a Smart Home of the Future is a flagship project within DHI’s Rural Centre of Excellence in Moray. The Digital Blueprint for a Smart Home of the Future sets out a practical, evidence- led framework for delivering homes that support health, wellbeing, independence and sustainability. Developed through DHI's Rural Centre of Excellence for Digital Health & Care Innovation, the report explores how digital health, low-carbon construction and adaptive design can be integrated to create future-ready homes that are affordable to run, aligned with net zero ambitions and designed around the needs of their residents. Colleagues in Housing and the HSCP plan to take forward together learning points from the framework.
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3.5 Proposed Extension of FOISA in the Care Sector The Scottish Government have now published an analysis of the responses from the consultation to explore whether providers of care homes and care at home services could be considered to provide functions of a public nature. The findings would then inform whether to extend the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2022 (FOISA) to those services. The consultation ran from 5th January to 30th March 2026, comprising of 14 questions seeking views on various aspects of how such a FOISA extension would work in practice, if implemented. A total of 136 consultations responses were received from 67 individuals and 69 organisations. The report and analysis of those responses can be found here : https://www.gov.scot/publications/extension-freedom-information- scotland-act-2002-foisa-private-third-sector-providers-care-home-care-home- services-consultation-analysis-responses/pages/1/ Ayrshire Wide Developments 3.6 MenB Vaccination Programme for Young People From Monday 6 July, eligible young people in Ayrshire are able to book an appointment to receive their meningococcal B disease (MenB) vaccination ahead of the 2026-27 academic year. Meningococcal disease is a serious illness that can cause meningitis (infection around the brain) or blood poisoning. It can be life-threatening and may lead to long-term problems like loss of limbs, hearing loss, or brain damage. Starting university or college, especially when living in shared accommodation, is a higher-risk time because close contact with lots of new people makes it easier for the disease to spread. More information, including who is eligible and how to book an appointment, is available on the NHS Ayrshire & Arran website. North Ayrshire Developments 3.7 New facility will offer a stepping stone towards independent living for young people A new facility to help care experienced young people make the transition to independent living is opening this month. Boyle Street in Irvine will provide a safe, homely and supportive environment for young people aged 16 to 21 who no longer require full time care, but who would benefit from some additional support in learning the life skills and gaining the confidence required for fully independent living.
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The service, which will be operated and staffed by our commissioned provider Blue Triangle, will provide comfortable individual bedrooms with ensuite or private bathroom, shared living spaces, and 24/7 dedicated staff support on site. Young people will receive practical help around developing skills such as budgeting, cooking, and tenancy management, with further support available from a range of services and agencies - including housing, employability and Money Smart. 3.8 Carers Community Fund The Carers Community Fund is designed to support projects and activities that make a meaningful, positive difference to carers and their wellbeing. Applicants can apply for up to £2,000 towards the cost of their project, helping to bring ideas to life and create real impact within their communities. Applications closed on Friday 14 August, with funding for successful applicants released by Friday 25 September. All funding awarded must be fully spent by March 2027. The fund is administered by the North Ayrshire Carers Champions Board – a group of carers and service providers working together to shape services and supports. Funding can be used for projects and ideas that can: • Promote wellbeing and reduce isolation • Create opportunities for connection and peer support • Encourage rest, recovery and positive experiences • Help carers access new services, skills or environments Champions Board meetings have been paused over summer to allow members to focus on Carers Community Fund applications, with the next meeting being held on Tuesday 1 September from 10am to 12.30pm at the Carers Gateway Office in Irvine. 3.9 Beam Notes Roll Out Beam Notes (previously known as Magic Notes) is now being rolled out across NAHSCP social work services. Training sessions are under way, with the first use with further service users from Monday 20 July. This AI-supported tool helps staff create draft records and documentation more efficiently, reducing time spent on administration and allowing practitioners to focus more on conversations with the people they support. In order to update members of the public, a news article has been created on the NAHSCP website to provide more information about the use of Beam Notes, service users’ rights, and links to our privacy policy. The article also includes a link to an easy read version.
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3.10 Positive Inspection Report for Trindlemoss House Trindlemoss House in Irvine has received an extremely positive report from the Care Inspectorate after an unannounced inspection in March. The service provides care for up to six adults with learning disabilities in self-contained accommodation, where residents have 24 hour access to care staff, as well as support to access their community. Of the six areas evaluated, five were graded as ‘Very Good’, including how well we support residents’ wellbeing, our leadership and staff team, and how well care and support is planned. The inspection report highlights “consistent, high-quality support from a skilled and motivated team who promoted independence, maintained health needs, and ensured meaningful, person-centred care”, as well as effective leadership. The full report is available on the Care Inspectorate website. 3.11 North Ayrshire ADP Newsletter North Ayrshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership has published its latest newsletter, full of information on recent activities in the community and available supports, as well as news on this year’s Overdose Awareness Day event. 3.12 Milestone Award reached by Telecare team We have been working on a project to switch our telecare equipment from analogue to digital ahead of next year’s UK-wide switch-off of analogue telephone lines. We are delighted to confirm that NAHSCP has now been awarded the Gold Level Two Digital Telecare Implementation Award from Digital Telecare for Scottish Local Government in recognition of the progress we have made to date. To receive this award, telecare service providers must have successfully rolled out a live digital telecare service to 50 per cent of service users and operated successfully without serious issues or call failures for at least six weeks. Achieving this Award is a significant milestone and robustly demonstrates the overall functionality and effectiveness of our digital telecare solution. The team will now work towards achieving the Platinum award. A huge well done to all involved.
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3.13 Health Visitor shortlisted for Sands Bereavement Care Award Marie Purdie, one of our Health Visitors based in Largs, has been shortlisted for the Sands Elaine Thorp Award for Bereavement Care. The award recognises the vital work done by midwives, nurses, and other health professionals to care for parents affected by pregnancy loss or the death of their baby. The awards ceremony will take place in the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday 8 September. 3.14 Scottish Learning Disabilities Nurses Network Awards The Community Nurses from our North Community Learning Disabilities Team, recently won the Team Award at the Scottish Learning Disabilities Nurses Network Awards. Staff members were recognised for their work in reducing health inequalities amongst people with learning disabilities in North Ayrshire, and their hard work, dedication and innovative practice is deserving of this national recognition by their peers. The award was collected by Laura Stevenson on behalf of the team, and was presented by Kerry Anderson, Co-chair of the Lead Nurse Group. Well done to all involved in this fantastic achievement. 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
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4.6 Community Wealth Building None 4.7 Key Priorities None 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