NHS Tayside Assurance and Advisory Group: staging report of findings and recommendations

Foreword

This report has been prepared for the Scottish Government in response to the request to review the deliverability of NHS Tayside's 5 Year Transformation Programme. This was on account of NHS Tayside being unable to operate within its allocated financial resources for the past five years. In order to conduct the review an independent Assurance and Advisory Group ( AAG) was established in March 2017 (see Appendix 1).

As part of the review, we (the AAG members) took the opportunity to visit multiple care sites in Tayside and witnessed at first hand, the dedication, care and commitment of front line staff and early progress of the Transformation Programme (see Appendix 2). We sought assistance from, met and talked with many colleagues working for and supporting NHS Tayside, the three Tayside Health and Social Care Partnerships and three Local Authorities, the NHS Tayside Public Forum and other partners (see Appendix 3). We were made welcome throughout and are very grateful for the kindness and unstinting support received during the course of the review.

While much of this report is about financial sustainability, the review also seeks to help shape on-going and future excellence in care for the people of Tayside and for those who provide that care. That will require marked transformational change, effective health and social care integration, new models of care, new ways of working together and best use of public funds. We offer 14 key recommendations for consideration and urgent implementation.

In order to secure success, leadership and partnership working of a very high order will be required, with the full engagement of the people of Tayside and its public representatives. This will need to be done well, at pace and with resolve.

I wish to record my personal appreciation to my fellow AAG team members and support staff - for their professionalism and commitment at all times throughout the review.

Lewis D Ritchie
Chairman, Assurance and Advisory Group, NHS Tayside