IJB Director's Report
North Ayrshire Council · 13 March 2026
Back to Integration Joint Board — 13 March 2026 and its agenda
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Integration Joint Board 13th March 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 CSAE Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation SCAI Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry UNCRC United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child PVG Protecting Vulnerable Groups AI Artificial Intelligence HIS Health Improvement Scotland 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 Accounts Commission Report – Integration Joint Boards : Finance Bulletin 2024/25 Accounts Commission published their report Integration Joint Boards: Finance Bulletin 2024/25 on 26th February 2026 which states Integration Joint Boards (IJBs), together with their NHS and council partners, must urgently take decisions on where to redesign, reduce or discontinue services. The report highlighted that funding to Scotland’s 30 IJBs increased by over two per cent in 2024/25 to more than £12 billion. But this was insufficient to meet rising costs and demands, with many IJBs using dwindling reserves to help meet the almost £450 million gap between demand and available funding. This is not sustainable. Increasing demand, rising costs and a growing number of people with long-term complex needs are placing mounting financial pressures on IJBs. The boards have reached a critical point, with a significant risk they will become financially unsustainable within the next 12 to 24 months. Alongside savings and using reserves, IJBs have been relying on substantial additional funding from their partners in the NHS and councils. IJBs need to plan their finances more realistically to reduce this reliance, as health boards and councils face their own significant financial pressures. A copy of the full report can be viewed on the Audit Scotland website. 3.2 IJB Voting Rights The 40-day Parliamentary process to consider the statutory instrument to revise IJB voting rights has drawn to a close. This means that the instrument will come into effect from September 2026, extending voting rights on IJBs to unpaid carer, lived experience and third sector representatives. Representations from Local Government and partners provided additional scrutiny in Parliament, including a call for written views and oral evidence. IJB members will be kept updated on the changes and implications prior to implementation in September 2026.
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3.3 Public Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Abuse Scottish Government announced on 25th February 2026 that Professor Alexis Jay will chair a statutory Public Inquiry to examine Scotland’s response to group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE). The Inquiry will focus on the prevalence of group-based CSAE now and in the recent past, whether brought forward by survivors or relating to findings from the independent National Review being led by four Inspectorates. The new Inquiry will be distinct from the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI), chaired by Lady Smith. The Scottish Government will ensure the new Inquiry does not duplicate the valuable work of the SCAI. The scope of the Inquiry and its detailed terms of reference will be finalised and confirmed in due course, following input from Professor Jay. The Education Secretary also announced that the Government intends to establish a Truth Project in Scotland, to enable victims and survivors of CSAE to share their experiences to help inform change and access support. 3.4 National Review of Group Based Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation As well as the Public Inquiry, a national review into group based child sexual abuse and exploitation also commenced on 9th February 2026. This is following a ministerial request in December 2025. The review will be led by the Care Inspectorate and HIS Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS), working with Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in Scotland (HMIE) and other scrutiny bodies as appropriate. The review will consider how well public protection partners are working together to prevent, identify and act appropriately on instances of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation and group-based child criminal exploitation. The review will take a phased approach, with phase one lasting for six months and a report on this is expected by Summer 2026, in accordance with their standard reporting practice. Chief Officers’ Groups have been asked to facilitate the provision of information and supporting evidence regarding how each of the 32 local authority partnership areas recognise, identify, assess and respond to incidences of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation and group-based child criminal exploitation. Scott Hunter, Chief Social Work Officer has been identified as the co-ordinator for North Ayrshire and will lead the collation of responses and represent the HSCP in any discussions with the inspection team.
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3.5 Changes to PVG Scheme Membership Significant changes to the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme in Scotland are being implemented under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020. From 1 April 2026, there will be a shift from lifetime membership of the Scheme to mandatory five-year renewals, stricter legal requirements for regulated roles, and reduced disclosure levels to enhance safeguarding. From 1 April 2026, PVG Scheme membership In Scotland will change from lifetime membership to a five-year renewable membership. This change applies only to new applications made on or after that date. Disclosure Scotland will begin moving all existing PVG members to the five-year model in phases, starting with those who first joined the scheme in 2011. North Ayrshire have not yet been advised on when our employees will be contacted. An existing PVG member will shift to the new five-year model if they submit a new PVG application on or after 1 April 2026, including: • a new application to join the PVG Scheme, or • an update application due to moving into a role requiring a different PVG category, or an update is required due to a Consideration for Listing. Employees who joined the PVG Scheme before 1 April 2026 will be moved to the new model gradually, based on the year they originally joined. 3.6 Carers Scotland Power of Attorney Day Carers Scotland and Standard Life have joined forces to launch the first ever UK-wide Power of Attorney Day which will take place on Wednesday 22 April 2026. This initiative aims to raise awareness and understanding of powers of attorney, supporting the 627,700 unpaid carers in Scotland who care for someone who is older, disabled or seriously ill. �� Learn more: https://powerofattorneyday.org.uk/ �� General info on powers of attorney: https://www.mygov.scot/power-of-attorney
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3.7 Update on the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill On 17 February 2026, the Scottish Parliament passed the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill. The Bill has two key parts, this update focuses on Part 2 of the Bill, which will amend the UNCRC Act. Part 2 of the Bill, once commenced, will add an exemption to the section 6 Compatibility Duty in the UNCRC Act. This exemption would make clear that a public authority would not be acting unlawfully under the UNCRC Act where it is required, under an Act of the Scottish Parliament, to act in a way that is incompatible with UNCRC requirements. The exemption would only apply where a public authority has no discretion as to whether to act incompatibly, and the legislation cannot be read or given effect in a way that is compatible with UNCRC requirements (under section 24 of the Act). The Scottish Government has not thus far identified any existing circumstances in which the exemption would apply. The exemption is intended to provide clarity and legal certainty for public authorities where they face conflicting statutory duties. It is designed to avoid situations where a public authority may feel compelled to pause or disrupt the delivery of services because it believes it cannot provide those services in a way that is compatible with UNCRC requirements due to a requirement to act in a particular way by, or under, an Act of the Scottish Parliament. The exemption could also reduce the risk of unnecessary legal challenge against public authorities in circumstances where the issue lies in the legislation itself, rather than in the authority’s actions. The Bill will place a statutory notification duty on public authorities listed under section 19 of the UNCRC Act. Where a listed authority is of the view - when discharging its duties under the UNCRC Act - that it cannot read and give effect to legislation in a UNCRC-compatible way, and is therefore of the view that the exemption applies in connection with the exercise, or potential exercise, of a relevant function, it must notify, as soon as reasonably practicable: • The Scottish Government, • The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, and • The Scottish Human Rights Commission. The Scottish Government sought views from a number of listed authorities through existing networks. The majority of responses did not raise significant concerns. Many welcomed the fact that the duty would be linked to existing obligations under the UNCRC Act and therefore viewed the approach as proportionate.
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A separate notification duty will apply where the exemption is raised in legal proceedings, with notifications issued to the Lord Advocate, the Children’s Commissioner, and the Scottish Human Rights Commission. The Bill will also require Scottish Ministers to report annually, through the Children’s Rights Scheme, on the use of the exemption and any actions they intend to take in response. 3.8 Clinical Governance Standards Healthcare Improvement Scotland have published the Clinical Governance standards. The standards are intended to enhance improvements in health and social care for everyone, regardless of their age, disability, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status or any other status. Suggested aspects to consider and recommended practice throughout these standards should be interpreted as being inclusive of everyone living in Scotland. The standards have been developed to provide assurance that organisations are providing high quality and safe healthcare in line with best practice, national policy and legislation. Standards can support internal and external quality assurance. The standards will apply to all clinical services planned, commissioned or delivered within the health and social care system in Scotland. You can read the standards on the HIS website. North Ayrshire Developments 3.9 Feedback – North Ayrshire meeting with Cabinet Secretary I met together with Craig Hatton, Chief Executive of North Ayrshire Council on Thursday 12th February with the Cabinet Secretary and Minister to discuss the financial position of the IJB. This was following a request in December for me to write to set out our challenges and request consideration of further funding for North Ayrshire IJB particularly to meet demands and needs for social care services. The meeting provided the opportunity to discuss and share in more detail our pressures and challenges, including the ability to align resources to meet the needs of our local population, our local demographic drivers of demand, those including remote and rural services, high levels of poverty and deprivation and an ageing population.
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I outlined our current year financial position and projections for next year, service performance, including delayed transfers of care and waits within community services and our public consultation approach for social care eligibility criteria. The Cabinet Secretary and Minister acknowledged the difficulties we face and referred to opportunities to work with NHS Ayrshire and Arran on shifting the balance of care and risk-share and hospital at home service developments and confirmed there is no further funding available from Scottish Government. In the absence of additional funding being made available I reaffirmed our commitment to continuing to do the best with the resource we have available including improving performance were possible. 3.10 Magic Notes Trial Mental Health and Learning Disabilities social work teams began a six to eight-week trial of Magic Notes in March 2026. Magic Notes is an AI tool that records conversations and produces draft case notes, helping to reduce administrative tasks so that social workers can remain fully present and engaged during visits. Studies across UK councils show that by removing the need for note taking during meetings, staff are able to focus more on meaningful, person-centred conversations and capture richer, more accurate information. Other UK councils have shown time savings on administrative tasks, consistency in documentation, and improved accessibility for staff with dyslexia or visual impairments. The trial will evaluate how the tool affects the quality of interactions, documentation, and overall practice, including impacts on time spent on administrative tasks, quality of written work and conversations, and practitioner wellbeing. Findings will inform whether a wider roll-out would bring benefits to staff and the people we support. 3.11 Brighter Pathways - New Fostering Scheme – North Ayrshire A new scheme to recognise the hard work and commitment of foster carers - and to positively impact on the recruitment of new carers - is being launched by NAHSCP on April 1. A key part of the new scheme is a review of the financial support offered to foster carers. It will see the fostering fee increased from £200 per week to £250 per week for all Fostering First carers who agree to transfer over to the new scheme, as well as all newly approved carers. The new scheme will also introduce a welcome payment of £1000 for all newly approved foster carers, which will be awarded 12 months after the first child is placed.
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North Ayrshire Council is a Fostering Friendly Employer, with its Special Leave Scheme giving greater flexibility to staff for exploring fostering opportunities. Employees who are foster carers (or who are interested in becoming foster carers), as well as kinship carers, can benefit from the time off detailed below: • Assessment and initial training prior to approval as a foster carer - maximum three days • Attendance at panel for approval - maximum one day • Child review meetings, annual foster carer review meeting and training - up to five days You can read more about becoming a foster carer with NAHSCP by visiting the website or emailing adfos-enquiry@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. 3.12 Care Home Staff Training – Ayrshire Hospice A group of twelve Care at Home staff have completed a six-week training programme with the Ayrshire Hospice to increase their knowledge and skills around palliative care. In North Ayrshire, Care at Home teams currently support around 1,900 service users each day, including those with chronic life- threatening illnesses or who have chosen to be at home rather than in hospital in the final stages of life. The programme was delivered over six half-day sessions and aimed to increase skills around practical care for palliative and end of life patients, as well as communication and conversation, symptom management, grief and bereavement, and support for families. Staff also gained invaluable experience from a week spent shadowing staff within the hospice environment. 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