Agenda item

·         Standing Orders

·         Clinical & Care Governance

·         Risk Management Strategy

Mrs Susan Manion gave an overview of the suite of documents that made up the Code of Corporate Governance for the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board.  Each document was then discussed in turn.

In regard to the Local Code of Corporate Governance, Mrs Jill Stacey confirmed that the cover paper set out how the Board would measure itself and meet the key principles that would apply.

Mr David Davidson suggested reviewing the wording in terms of labels and titles as page 50 referred to the “Leader” and that was an incorrect terminology for the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board.

Mr John McLaren sought clarification of a staff governance element to the code.  Mrs Manion advised that there were two outstanding items, one of which was staff governance and the other was patient public involvement, both of which were referred to in the Scheme of Integration.  Both elements would be included in the Code in future once the detail had been fully worked up and agreed.

Mrs Stacey suggested Principle 5 was the key element around staff governance and she reminded members that the document remained live and would change as the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board evolved.

Mrs Manion advised that the Standing Orders element had been in place during the shadow period and were now submitted for formal approval.

Mrs Pat Alexander suggested revising the wording at Point 24 to include members of sub committees.

Mrs Manion suggested the Audit Committee Terms of Reference and formal appointment of members to that Committee would be brought to the next meeting of the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board.

A discussion took place in regard to the Clinical and Care Governance Assurance Framework and several issues were raised including: the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board receive a copy of the Health Board Clinical Governance reports and the equivalent Local Authority reports; the NHS Clinical Governance Committee expand its membership to include a member of the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board;  NHS Clinical Governance Committee minutes be shared with the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board; linking assurance to performance information/reports;

Mr John Raine cautioned against over complicating matters and was clear that there were governance processes in all organisations around the table and there was no need to duplicate those.  The requirement of the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board was to be assured that good governance was in place in the organisations from which it commissioned services.

Mrs Manion agreed with the suggestions raised and advised that the next step was to work out a common approach and understanding in terms of providing an assurance for all the services within the delegated functions. 

Mrs Evelyn Rodger advised that she would work with Mrs Manion and Mrs Karen McNicoll on the wording of the document as the Healthcare Governance Steering Group referred to had been disbanded. 

Mrs Pat Alexander enquired how Scottish Borders Council received assurance in regard to the Arms Length Organisation, SB Cares.  Cllr Frances Renton advised that SB Cares had a Strategic Board and the minutes of that Board were submitted to Scottish Borders Council full Council meetings.  Mrs Elaine Torrance confirmed that quality assurance issues were also addressed through that Board. 

Mr John McLaren recalled that it had been mooted previously that a member of the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board should sit on the SB Cares Board.  Mrs Torrance confirmed that a request would be made to the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board to identify a member for the SB Cares Board.

In relation to the Risk Management Strategy, Mrs Manion advised that the principles were simple and straight forward and recognised the different systems and processes that were in place in partner organisations. 

Mrs Evelyn Rodger suggested including clinical risk as types of risks to be reported at section 2.3.

Mr David Davidson commented that in the health service there was a drive for Audit Committees to become both audit and risk owners for those risks above those covered by the Clinical Governance Committee.  He suggested Mrs Manion speak with colleagues in the Scottish Government to seek their advice and suggestions.

Mrs Manion recorded her thanks to the workstreams for their significant effort in producing the suite of documents.

The HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE INTEGRATION JOINT BOARD approved the current suite of documents which form the Code of Corporate Governance for the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board.

The HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE INTEGRATION JOINT BOARD approved an annual review of the Code of Corporate Governance.