Joint board to manage health & social care service in Aberdeenshire

The group is co-chaired by Councillor Cllr Karen Clark, Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Social Work and Housing Committee and Mr Raymond Bisset Non-Executive Director of NHS Grampian and Chair of Aberdeenshire Community Health Partnership. It includes five councillors and five members of the NHS Grampian Board as well as representatives from key stakeholders.

The proposed establishment of a joint board will be discussed by Aberdeenshire Council at its meeting on Thursday 26th September and at the NHS Grampian Board meeting on Monday 30th September.

The Scottish Government bill paving the way for integration was published last month and is designed to create a single point of entry for service users.

Although it is not expected to take effect until 2015 Aberdeenshire’s Transitional Leadership Group wants to make significant progress well in advance of this date.

Co-Chair of the Transitional Leadership Group Cllr Karen Clark said: “Discussions have taken place in various forums over the past six months. Chief officers, clinical representatives, practitioners, community and voluntary sector representatives, elected members and non-executive board members have contributed to the debate.

“We considered a range of options but the joint board model represents the best option for Aberdeenshire.”

The establishment of the new body, to which both the council and health board would delegate some of its functions, would create a new entity with a new role, purpose, culture and way of working.

Should the preferred model of integration be the Integrated Joint Board then the partnership would be required to appoint a chief officer.

Co-Chair of the Transitional Leadership Group Raymond Bisset said: “All interested parties in Aberdeenshire have been meeting regularly since integration was first suggested by the Scottish Government.

“I believe this is a great opportunity for us to build and improve on the positive working relationships we already have to provide quality, integrated health and social care across Aberdeenshire.”

The Transitional Leadership Group was set up to:

•Lead the transition to a Health and Social Care Integrated Service within Aberdeenshire,

•Consider the Scottish Government legislation and guidance as it progresses,

•Provide guidance to officers in the council and NHS,

•Make recommendations on the design and model of integration,

•Oversee the required integration plan

•Regularly communicate with all key stakeholders.