Consultation on the Draft Regulations relating to the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 (Set 2 of 2)

ANNEX (3A)

ESTABLISHMENT, MEMBERSHIP AND PROCEEDINGS OF INTEGRATION JOINT MONITORING COMMITTEES ESTABLISHED UNDER THE PUBLIC BODIES (JOINT WORKING) (SCOTLAND) ACT 2014

CONSULTATION PAPER

An integration joint monitoring committee is to be established by a Local Authority and Health Board where they have chosen to use a lead agency model of integration. Its purpose is to monitor the carrying out of integration functions for the area of the Local Authority. By doing this, the integration joint monitoring committee will hold the body or bodies to whom the functions are delegated to account for the delivery of integrated services and it will provide assurances to the Health Board and the Local Authority of the progress that is being made to achieve the national health and wellbeing outcomes. It will have the ability to write reports and make recommendations to the lead agency, where it sees fit, and is key to providing on-going scrutiny and joint accountability of the integrated arrangements.

The draft Order sets out provisions in relation to the membership, proceedings and general operation of all integration joint monitoring committees established under the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014.

Intended provisions as to membership and proceedings of the integration joint monitoring committee

Membership of the integration joint monitoring committee

The draft Order sets out a minimum requirement for the membership of the integration joint monitoring committee, but also allows flexibility for additional members to be added. It is intended that the minimum required membership will be:

• Three councillors nominated by the Local Authority;
• Three persons nominated by the Health Board (at least two non-executive directors and another member of the Health Board);
• The Chief Social Work Officer of the Local Authority;
• A registered health professional employed and nominated by the Health Board;
• Health Board Director of Finance (where the Integration Authority is the Health Board) or the Local Authority Section 95 Officer (where the Integration Authority is the Local Authority);
• Staff-side representative from the Health Board (where the Integration Authority is the Health Board) or a staff-side representative from the Local Authority (where the Integration Authority is the Local Authority);
• Third Sector representative;
• Service user representative; and
• Carer representative.

In addition, the integration joint monitoring committee may appoint any other members as the integration joint monitoring committee see fit.

The nominees from the Local Authority and the Health Board will be nominated directly to the integration joint monitoring committee by the Local Authority and the Health Board.

The officers of the Health Board and the Local Authority will be nominated because of the statutory role that they fulfil, in the case of the Chief Social Work Officer and the Local Authority officer, or because they have been identified by the Health Board as the appropriate person for the Clinical Director or Health Board Director of Finance.

This draft Order sets out that the integration joint monitoring committee is to seek and recruit the staff-side, third sector, carer and service user representatives once the integration joint monitoring committee is established. The Scottish Government will provide guidance about the most appropriate way of doing this and if there are key groups that should be involved.

Locally, the integration joint monitoring committee might wish to add additional members perhaps because they are a key stakeholder locally, or they wish to seek more representation from a particular group, or alternatively because the Integration Scheme includes delegation of functions beyond adult health and adult social care, which will require additional professional advice; for example, in relation to children's services, if those services are included in the Integration Scheme.

Appointment of the Chairperson

The draft Order requires the Health Board and the Local Authority to jointly agree who will chair the integration joint monitoring committee. It permits them to jointly change the chairperson, if required, by giving the chairperson one month's notice in writing.

Standing orders

This draft Order contains a Schedule, which sets out provisions which will require to be included in the standing orders prepared by each integration joint monitoring committee. These include provision in relation to calling meetings, notice of meetings, quorum, conduct of meetings, voting, deputies, conflict of interest and records.