NHS Chairs minutes: December 2018
Minutes of the meeting of the NHS Chairs on 10 December 2018.
Attendees and apologies
Scottish Ministers
- Jeane Freeman, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport
- Clare Haughey, Minister for Mental Health
Health board chairs
- Martin Cheyne, NHS Ayrshire and Arran
- John Raine, NHS Borders
- Penny Halliday, NHS Dumfries and Galloway (Vice-Chair)
- Tricia Marwick, NHS Fife
- Alex Linkston, NHS Forth Valley
- Stephen Logan, NHS Grampian
- John Brown, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde/NHS Tayside
- David Alston, NHS Highland
- Neena Mahal, NHS Lanarkshire
- Brian Houston, NHS Lothian
- Gary Robinson, NHS Shetland
- Ian Burgess, NHS Western Isles (Vice-Chair)
- Susan Douglas-Scott, Golden Jubilee Foundation
- Carole Wilkinson, Healthcare Improvement Scotland
- Esther Roberton, NHS 24
- David Garbutt, NHS Education for Scotland
- Elizabeth Ireland, NHS National Services Scotland
- David Crichton, NHS Health Scotland
- Terry Currie, State Hospital
- Eddie Frizzell, Scottish Ambulance Service (Vice-Chair)
- Pam Whittle, Scottish Health Council
- Paul Edie, Care Inspectorate
Scottish Government officials
- Paul Gray, Director General for Health and Social Care for the Scottish Government and Chief Executive of NHS Scotland
- Shirley Rogers, Director of Health Workforce, Leadership and Service Transformation
- Andrew Scott, Director of Population Health Improvement
- Liz Sadler, Deputy Director Planning and Quality
- Rachael Dunk, Head of Chief Nursing Officer Directorate
- Colin Brown, Head of Office of the Chief Executive NHS Scotland
- Robert Kirkwood, Office of the Chief Executive NHS Scotland
- Laurie Whyte, Office of the Chief Executive NHS Scotland
- Jack Downie, DPS/Cabinet Secretary Health and Sport
- James How, EU Withdrawal Team
- Jane Hamilton, EU Withdrawal Team
In attendance
- David Bedwell, NHS Scotland Executive Support
- Chris Campbell, NHS Scotland Executive Support
Observers
- Euan Harris, Scottish Clinical Leadership Fellow
Apologies
- Joe FitzPatrick, Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing
- Ian Kinniburgh, NHS Orkney
- Tom Steele, Scottish Ambulance Service
- Christine McLaughlin, Director of Health Finance, Corporate Governance and Value
- Richard McCallum, Deputy Director of Health Finance and Infrastructure
- Geoff Huggins, Director of Health and Social Care Integration/Director of Digital Health and Social Care
- Donna Bell, Director of Mental Health
- Catherine Calderwood, Chief Medical Officer
- Gregor Smith, Deputy Chief Medical Officer
- Jason Leitch, National Clinical Director
- Fiona McQueen, Chief Nursing Officer
- Michael Chalmers, Director of Children and Families
Items and actions
Attendance
1. A list of those present and apologies is provided at Annex A.
2. The Cabinet Secretary welcomed Carole Wilkinson, Chair of NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland to her first meeting and expressed her thanks to Stephen Logan, Chair of NHS Grampian, who stands down on 31 December 2018.
3. She also thanked Ian Burgess, Vice-Chair, NHS Western Isles for attending the meeting and asked that he pass on her condolences to the Board, following the recent death of Neil Galbraith. Mr Galbraith had been Chair of NHS Western Isles since January 2011.
Minutes of the previous meeting
4. It was noted that under ‘feedback from the Chairs private meeting’ (paragraph 9) the term Local Government should be changed to Local Governance. The minutes of the meeting held on 29 October 2018 were then approved.
Action: Secretariat to amend minutes.
Matters arising
5. There were no matters arising.
Ministerial remarks
6. The Cabinet Secretary updated Chairs on the following topics:
- EU withdrawal (discussed fully under Agenda item 7)
- 2019-2020 budget
- performance
- Health and Social Care integration
7. The Cabinet Secretary confirmed that the 2019-2020 Scottish Budget would be announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work, on Wednesday 12 December 2019. Further details will be provided to Boards following publication of the Budget.
8. The Cabinet Secretary reiterated that performance would continue to be a standing item on the agenda, with particular focus on progress being made against the Waiting Times Improvement Plan.
9. The Cabinet Secretary welcomed the publication of Audit Scotland’s second report on Health and Social Care Integration. The findings reflect that integration is central to improving health and social care services to the people of Scotland and that the legislation is there to empower local systems to deliver real change and improvement. She informed Chairs that officials have been commissioned to consider what needs to be done to ensure Boards learn from each other and apply that learning. There should be no reason not to adopt best practice, unless there is a better local alternative.
10. Going forward, the Cabinet Secretary committed to having fuller discussions with NHS Board Chairs early in the new year on the progress of health and social care integration and child and adolescent mental health.
Action: Secretariat to schedule agenda items on child and adolescent mental health and health and social care integration.
Feedback from Chairs private meeting
11. David Garbutt, Vice-Chair of the NHS Board Chairs Group shared feedback from the discussions that the NHS Board Chairs had around the remits and work being taken forward by the newly established thematic groups:
- Governance, John Brown (Chair)
- Workforce and Leadership, David Garbutt (Chair)
- Performance and Integration, Alex Linkston (Chair)
- Reform and Innovation, Brian Houston (Chair)
12. David Garbutt explained that the purpose of the groups was not to replicate work already being done elsewhere, but to bring added value. All groups now have a NHS Chief Executive member and most have identified Scottish Government support. The Chairs of each group then gave a brief overview of their work to date. They agreed to finalise their action plans and timescales for completion by the end January 2019.
Action: Chairs of thematic groups to finalise action plans and timescales for completion by end January 2019.
13. Paul Gray, Director General Health and Social Care/Chief Executive NHS Scotland asked Chairs to think about what further support they required from the Scottish Government to ensure the necessary connections across policy areas and for assistance in identifying lead officials and advised them to contact Colin Brown, Head of the Office of the Chief Executive NHS Scotland in the first instance.
Performance and improvement
(Shirley Rogers, Director Health Workforce, Leadership and Service Transformation)
14. Shirley Rogers gave an update on the work of the Operational Performance Board. The Operational Performance Board, which was established to drive the delivery of actions set out in the Waiting Times Improvement Plan has now met twice and will continue meet on a monthly basis to monitor performance. An additional £26 million has now been invested in Boards and consideration is being given to a second phase of bids for 2018/19. Progress will be monitored closely against the actions outlined in the bids to ensure trajectories are met. The Cabinet Secretary reminded Chairs that they all have a responsibility to ensure that the Waiting Times Improvement Plan is implemented.
Action: NHS Board Chairs ensure that the Waiting Times Improvement Plan is implemented.
15. In terms of general performance, winter plans have now been cleared for publication. Shirley Rogers reminded Chairs that it is essential that plans are reviewed throughout winter so that lessons can be learned from periods of pressure to ensure safe and timely patient care and that learning can be shared across the system. Scottish Government officials are working closely with Boards that are experiencing the greatest challenges. A national group has been set up to look at trends/issues in the system and that will be fed back to support improvements.
Action: NHS Board Chairs to ensure that winter plans are continuously reviewed so that lessons can be learned from periods of pressure and shared across the system.
16. Paul Gray, encouraged Chairs to contact his office directly if they have any concerns or require additional support.
EU Withdrawal - NHSCH/18/19/03
(Shirley Rogers, Director of Health Workforce, Leadership and Service Transformation)
17. Shirley Rogers gave a verbal update on preparations that are underway in the event of a ‘no deal’ outcome with regards to withdrawal from the EU. Since the workshop with NHS Chief Executives on 10 October 2018 all Boards have submitted preparedness plans which identified key risks. The Scottish Government has intensified preparations in order to protect the Scottish economy, businesses and workers and officials are engaged in civil contingencies planning around any impacts which may have an immediate and direct effect on citizens.
18. There was a discussion about communications. The Scottish Government is working across Directorates to develop communications messages and Boards will be advised and involved once these have been agreed. NHS Board Chairs were invited to note the update and assure themselves that their Boards are prioritising work to ensure they are operationally ready for withdrawal.
Action: NHS Board Chairs assure themselves that Boards are operationally ready for EU withdrawal.
Any other business
20. The Cabinet Secretary drew Chairs attention to papers which had been circulated and discussed at their private meeting on Clinical Governance and gypsy travellers. David Garbutt agreed to provide written feedback on behalf of the Chairs group with regards to the paper on gypsy travellers.
Action: David Garbutt to provide written feedback on behalf of the Chairs Group with regards to gypsy travellers.
Date and time of next meeting
21. The next NHS Chairs meeting will be on Monday 28 January 2018 at 13:00 in the Scottish Health Service Centre, Edinburgh.
Actions:
- Secretariat to amend the minutes of previous meeting
- Secretariat to schedule agenda items on child and adolescent mental health and health and social care integration
- Chairs of thematic groups to finalise Action Plans and timescales for completion by end January 2019
- NHS Board Chairs ensure that the Waiting Times Improvement Plan is implemented
- NHS Board Chairs to ensure that winter plans are continuously reviewed so that lessons can be learned from periods of pressure and share learning across the system
- NHS Board Chairs assure themselves that Boards are operationally ready for EU withdrawal
- David Garbutt to provide written feedback to the Cabinet Secretary on behalf of the Chairs Group with regards to gypsy travellers
Office of the Chief Executive for NHS Scotland
December 2018
NHS Chairs minutes: index page
Contact
Corporate Business Management: cbmt@gov.scot
There is a problem
Thanks for your feedback