What we learned

1. People want more information about how the board will work and what being a member would involve.

People said they wanted clarity about the membership and make-up of the NCS Board. They also said they wanted information about what is expected from members. This would help people decide if they wanted to become a board member.

Other points around this included:

• people need to know how members will be recruited and what the role of people with lived experience will be
• people want members with lived experience to have an influential voice and role in decision-making
• participants felt that a knowledge and understanding of the integrated health and social care sector was needed, so that board members can contribute in a meaningful way
• members of the board with lived experience should include those with experience of the integrated health and social care sector

Here are some of the things people said during our discussion:

“Understanding the remit of the board is important to ensure that we fit the skillset of members to ensure they can do what they need to do."

– member of SDWG (Scottish Dementia Working Group)

“A lack of experience and knowledge can be disempowering. It acts as a barrier to engage meaningfully.”

– member of NDCAN (National Dementia Carers Action Network)

“Experience brings its own unique understanding of systems.”

– member of SDWG (Scottish Dementia Working Group)

How we will use this

This finding tells us people want to know more about what would be expected from a NCS Board member. People also think it is important for the board to have members with lived experience of integrated health and social care services. We will continue to build on this in future co-design to make sure that members have the right experience and knowledge to fulfil their role on the board.

2. The process for people to apply for and then join the NCS Board is very important.

People told us they want all board members to receive training on topics that promote inclusion. They also said lived experience members should have access to training on topics they are less familiar with than other members.

Other points around this included:

• some people said making sure all members of the NCS Board get the same training will promote equality and parity of esteem for all members of the board
• people suggested examples of good training which would promote inclusion of all members of the board
• training examples included equalities training and trauma informed training, training on decision making processes and information on how the board will function
• people also told us it would be good to offer training around assertiveness, communications, digital skills and financial skills

Here are some of the things people said during our discussion:

“You need to have ongoing support and development, provide clear paths for professional development and support systems such as mentorship programs"

- member of SACRO

How we will use this

These suggestions will help us to develop our approach for the training support that will be available to members of the board and will help to inform recruitment and onboarding of potential members.

3. Board meetings should be inclusive and designed around what members need to take part.

People told us that board meetings should be run in ways that let all members take part in a way that is best for them. Many said that they value face-to-face meetings to help build relationships.

Other points around this included:

• people said that face-to-face meetings would give people a better chance to build relationships
• some people suggested that regular meetings should be hybrid to provide flexibility, while some sessions should in person either once or twice a year
• some suggested that meetings should be held in places across Scotland
• people said that having information ahead of meetings, a list of confirmed attendees and a point of contact to ask questions would help all board members take part
• people also said that holding informal sessions before and after meetings would be good

Here are some of the things people said during our discussion:

“It [meetings] needs to be varied between in-person and online because being in-person is good for our health and to get to know the people that you’re working with. Getting out and about is good for us.” - member of SCLD – (Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities)

“Consider everyone’s needs in the broadest terms and make all processes as accessible as possible for everyone and avoid treating individuals with specific needs differently, wherever possible, by using broadly accessible policy and practice." - member of Alzheimer's Scotland

How we will use this

We will discuss and develop these suggestions and ideas in future co-design to ensure that we do not miss opportunities to be inclusive to all members.

4. It is important to have the right people on the board, with the right number of people too.

People feel that the size of the board needs to enable everyone to take part fully. They said there needs to be clarity on the decision-making processes. Some people suggested that having a lived experience advisory board would ensure broader representation and could advise the NCS Board.

Other points around this included:

• people suggested the board should have between 10 and 12 members and that having too many people would make it hard for everyone to be heard
• some people said that a small membership would mean voting on issues would not be fair or meaningful
• we heard views that the board chair should have the right experience, and that responsibility for chairing could rotate
• we heard that decision processes must be clear for lived experience members to fully contribute as board members
• people discussed several benefits to having a lived experience advisory board, including allowing the board to hear a range of views, letting the board connect with others and having a more comfortable environment for sharing
• people feel it would be unreasonable for board members to be able to represent ‘lived experience’ as a whole

Here are some of the things people said during our discussion:

“It’s important that we’re [lived experience board members] not just listened to, but that we’re heard.”

- member of SDWG (Scottish Dementia Working Group)

“The last thing we want is a board swamped with people …who are reluctant to change.”

- member of DCAN (National Dementia Carers Action Network)

“This is a way to be more inclusive and to hear from more voices. If you can’t be on the [NCS] Board then [an advisory board] is a way for you to contribute to the conversation.”

- member of SDWG (Scottish Dementia Working Group)

How we will use this

We will explore these suggestions further and test how they could work through future co-design. By continuing to do this work with people with lived experience, we’ll be able to better support people to make sure that all members of the board are able to contribute in a meaningful and supportive way.

5. Board members will need the right support to be able to contribute to its work.

People with lived experience want support when they are working as board members to do their job effectively. People expect compensation for their time and expenses they incur for working as board members.

Other points around this included:

• people said support to be a board member should be ongoing, and go beyond when they first become a member
• we also heard upskilling and professional development would help board members to better engage
• some people said support should match people’s needs and we heard some suggestions on what support might be needed, such as IT equipment and mentoring
• people expected that they should be compensated for their time, including time for preparation and attending meetings, travel expenses and caring costs
• some people shared concerns about the financial impact on their benefits if they were paid for sitting on the board

Here are some of the things people said during our discussion:

“This NCSB will involve smart, powerful people and that can be intimidating for some. There should be support to make it less intimidating for others.” - member of SCLD – (Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities)

How we will use this

Supporting all members is crucial to the board fulfilling its aims. We will use these comments and suggestions to further explore through co-design ways to ensure practical support is available.