Independent Oversight and Assurance Group on Tayside's Mental Health Services: letter discussing progress reporting on 15 July 2022

To:

Grant Archibald
Chief Executive, NHS Tayside

Greg Colgan
Chief Executive, Dundee City Council

Phil Davison
Divisional Commander, Tayside Police Scotland

Thomas Glen
Chief Executive, Perth and Kinross Council

Margo Williamson
Chief Executive, Angus Council

15 July 2022

Dear Colleagues

I hope this finds you well.

When we met last week, we discussed, amongst other things, arrangements for our Final Report. I indicated that I would set out what we would like you to include as part of your own assessment of progress, and final update, which we would like to receive from you by Friday 30 September 2022.

There are a number of documents which report on the progress you have made in response to Trust and Respect, namely:

• Listen Learn Change Action Plan August 2020
• Living Life Well February 2021
• Listen Learn Change Progress Overview June 2021

There is, however, no single document which sets out your understanding of each recommendation, your response and the outcomes you wish to achieve, the actions necessary for delivery, the evidence and milestones you would rely upon for your own assurance and public reporting, your assessment of progress and finally, any further action required. 

We have, therefore, amended the reporting template which you will recall we used in November 2021, to include these additional elements. We would be grateful if you would use this template to report against each of the 49 recommendations where responsibility rests with Tayside. We would ask that you provide current and realistic assessments of progress utilising the same RAG status definitions we used in November - these remain unchanged. 

At our meeting in May, we shared with you our thinking on the structure of our final report which, in addition to providing a reassessment by the Oversight Group of progress against all 51 recommendations from Trust and Respect, will also include an assessment of the commitment and capacity within Tayside, for change and continuous improvement. This will include commentary on the leadership of the transition from Listen Learn Change to Living Life Well with an accompanying action plan and resource framework. 

In this regard, we would be grateful if you would provide us with your collective assessment of your own delivery as a leadership group against your Joint Statement of Intent and your Collective Leadership Promise, contained within Living Life Well. We will leave it entirely as a matter for your own determination, as to how you wish to set this out. We would wish to receive this also by Friday 30 September 2022. 

With my thanks and best wishes.

Fiona Lees

Chair, Independent Oversight and Assurance Group on Tayside’s Mental Health Services