Agenda item

11.1 Mrs Wendy Henderson provided an overview of the content of the report and reminded the Board that the integrated workforce plan had been approved in October 2022 and since then work had been taken forward to develop an Implementation Board. She spoke of the membership of the Implementation Board to reflect the 5 key areas of NHS Borders, SBC, the independent sector, primary care and the third sector. She outlined the vision agreed by the Board, the priorities identified and confirmed that Mrs Hazel Robertson had agreed to chair the Board.

11.2 Mrs Jenny Smith commented that there was a good appetite for the integrated workforce plan from the third sector as well as learning disability providers, mental health providers and other independent providers.

11.3 Dr Sohail Bhatti commented that the paper listed “no impact” on climate change, however if the workforce was increased and visited patients at various locations in the community there was likely to be some climate change impact due to increased traffic unless electrical vehicles were used. In terms of equalities and human rights he suggested the intention was to engage workers from the local area and train them up and that would be a social impact. If workers did not have the right qualifications the challenge was then to find a way for them to get those qualifications and that might be through more vocational than academic routes. He was keen to remind the Board that the equalities and human rights element was not just about protected characteristics but was wider than that in terms of social impacts.

11.4 Mrs Sarah Horan commented that it was a good opportunity to enable the prospects for young people and indeed all people in the Borders. She suggested there was an opportunity to have a positive impact through the collective strength of having a local Care Academy approach with various education providers developing training and career pathways.

11.5 Mr Chris Myers advised that a meeting had taken place recently between SBC, NHS Borders and Eildon Housing Association in regard to a pilot for housing with key workers in Galashiels. He commented that it was a positive piece of work and was supported by all partners and very much aligned to the intended ways of working approach to workforce from an IJB perspective.

11.6 Mrs Henderson advised that in terms of the right qualifications, the vocational approach would be picked up through the Care Academy that was being looked at. In relation to climate change she was looking at the whole systems approach and transport was recognised as a barrier to employment within the Borders. Providers were welcoming of e-bikes and alternative forms of transport. Within the protected characteristics the impact assessment included the Fairer Scotland duty and captured within that was evidence of positive impacts.

11.7 Ms Juliana Amaral commented that BAVs had some e-bikes that they would be happy to provide for a community transport pilot.

The SCOTTISH BORDERS HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE INTEGRATION JOINT BOARD noted the formation of and membership of the cross sector SBHSCP Integrated Workforce Plan Implementation Board.

The SCOTTISH BORDERS HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE INTEGRATION JOINT BOARD noted the Terms of Reference of the Implementation Board specifically the remit and scope which was coproduced with Implementation Board members.

The SCOTTISH BORDERS HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE INTEGRATION JOINT BOARD noted the content of the first progress report detailing the Implementation Plan coproduced by the Implementation Board.

The SCOTTISH BORDERS HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE INTEGRATION JOINT BOARD noted that two of the Equality Outcomes for the period 2023 to 2025 relate specifically to the Partnership’s Workforce. The Implementation Board will report progress against these outcomes monthly to the SPG E&HR Subgroup.

The SCOTTISH BORDERS HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE INTEGRATION JOINT BOARD noted that the Implementation Plan is living document which will be refreshed and reported against quarterly to the IJB.