Items Of Business
Apologies
Apologies from members.
Declarations of Interest and Transparency Statements
Members are asked to declare an interest or make a transparency statement in any item(s) on the agenda and to provide a brief explanation of the nature of the interest or the transparency statement.
There were no declarations of interest or transparency statements intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.
Minute of meeting of the IJB Audit, Risk & Scrutiny Committee held on 15 November 2024.
1
The Minute of the meeting of the IJB Audit, Risk & Scrutiny Committee held on 15 November 2024 was submitted.
DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.
Report by Chief Internal Auditor.
2
The Interim Chief Internal Auditor submitted a report providing an update on the progress of the Internal Audit Plan for 2024/25, a copy of which formed Appendix 2 to the report. The timetable for delivery of the current training and development plan formed Appendix 1 to the report.
The report intimated that the audit engagements in relation to financial planning and the review of the Local Code for Corporate Governance had been finalised and summaries of these engagements were included in the report being considered at item 3 of this Minute.
DECIDED:
(a) That the training and development programme, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, be noted; and
(b) That the progress against the Internal Audit Plan for 2024/25 be noted.
Report by Chief Internal Auditor.
3
The Chief Internal Auditor submitted a report providing a summary of internal audit reports issued.
Appendix 1 to the report provided details of the completed audit engagements for financial planning and the compliance review of the governance arrangements with the overall assurance rating and the number of recommendations in each risk category. The committee summaries for these audit engagements formed Appendix 2 to the report.
DECIDED: That the content of the report be noted.
Report by Chief Internal Auditor.
4
The Interim Chief Internal Auditor submitted a report providing a summary of internal audit activity, relevant to the IJB, recently undertaken in partner organisations.
In relation to internal audit activity within Renfrewshire Council, the report provided detail on the audit engagement for recruitment – processes after interview. In relation to internal audit activity within NHSGGC, the report provided detail on the audit review in relation to cyber security – remote access.
DECIDED: That the contents of the report be noted.
Report by Chief Internal Auditor.
5
The Chief Internal Auditor submitted a report relative to the Annual Internal Audit Plan 2025/26, a copy of which formed Appendix 1 to the report.
The report intimated that the Plan set out a resource requirement of 40 days and that the allocation of internal audit resources was sufficient to allow emerging priorities and provide adequate coverage of governance, risk management and internal control to inform the annual assurance statement.
The report noted that the audit universe was reviewed annually and Appendix 2 to the report provided details of the audit universe and the anticipated coverage over 2025/26 to 2029/30. It was intended that each engagement topic would be covered once in the five-year period.
DECIDED:
(a) That the Internal Audit Plan for 2025/26 be approved; and
(b) That it be noted that the Internal Audit Plan would be shared with the Renfrewshire Council and NHSGGC.
Report by Chief Finance Officer.
6
The Chief Finance Officer submitted a report relative to the Annual Audit Plan 2024/25 for the IJB which outlined Ernst & Young’s proposed audit approach of the financial records for the year ended 31 March 2025, a copy of which was appended to the report.
The report advised that the proposed audit fee for the 2024/25 audit was £34,000 and was consistent with the fees for all IJBs and had been determined in line with Audit Scotland’s fee setting arrangements.
DECIDED: That the Annual Audit Plan, appended to the report, be noted.
Report by Strategic Lead & Improvement Manager.
7
Under reference to item 4 of the Minute of the meeting of this Committee held on 15 November 2024, the Strategic Lead & Improvement Manager submitted a report providing an update on ongoing activity to identify and manage strategic and operational risks and issues and updates made to the IJB’s Risk and Issue Register, a copy of which was appended to the report.
The report provided further detail on the key updates to existing risks.
DECIDED: That the updates made to the Risk and Issue Register, as detailed in section 4 of the report, be approved.
Report by Strategic Lead & Improvement Manager.
8
The Strategic Lead & Improvement Manager submitted a report providing an update on the progress made on the HSCP’s Business Continuity Workplan during 2024/25 and plans for 2025/26.
The report intimated that the Workplan would continue to build on learning from work completed and experiences during resilience events. The report noted that continued partnership working and sharing of resources with Renfrewshire Council and NHSGGC and with wider partners through the Local Resilience Partnership and Regional Resilience Partnership arrangements would be crucial in delivering these plans. The Workplan for 2025 was appended to the report.
DECIDED: That the update provided on the HSCP’s Business Continuity Workplan progress for 2024/25 and planned activity for 2025/26 be noted.
Report by Interim Head of Health & Social Care.
9
The Interim Head of Health & Social Care submitted a report providing an update on the health & safety and clinical governance compliance for the period 1 July to 30 December 2024, in line with HSCP quarterly reporting.
The report allowed for review and scrutiny of the current position with the full report across all areas of governance, scheduled for September 2025.
DECIDED: That the content of the report be noted.
Report by Lead Officer, Communications & Public Affairs.
10
The Lead Officer, Communications & Public Affairs submitted a report providing an update on public affairs performance for the period 1 April to 30 September 2024.
DECIDED: That the content of the report be noted.
Report by Head of Mental Health, Learning Disability & Alcohol & Drug Recovery Services.
11
The Head of Mental Health, Learning Disability & Alcohol & Drugs Recovery Services submitted a report summarising the findings from the announced visit to Nairn Ward, Stobhill Hospital on 22 October 2024 by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, a copy of which was appended to the report.
DECIDED: That the content of the report be noted.
Report by Head of Mental Health, Learning Disability & Alcohol & Drug Recovery Services.
12
The Head of Mental Health, Learning Disability & Alcohol & Drugs Recovery Services submitted a report summarising the findings from the announced visit to Ward 37 and 39 Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) Paisley on 19 December 2024 by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, a copy of which was appended to the report.
It was noted that paragraph 1.7 of the report should have referred to this visit and not the visit to North and East Wards, Dykebar Hospital on 19 December 2024.
DECIDED: That the content of the report be noted.
Report by Chief Finance Officer.
13
The Chief Finance Officer submitted a report relative to the Audit Scotland publication ‘NHS in Scotland 2024: Finance and Performance’ published on 3 December 2024, a copy of which was appended to the report.
The report provided a detailed summary of the key messages of the publication.
DECIDED: That the content of the report and the Audit Scotland publication, appended to the report, be noted.
Report by Chief Finance Officer.
14
The Chief Finance Officer submitted a report relative to the Audit Scotland publication ‘Local Government in Scotland – Financial Bulletin 2023/24’ published in January 2025, a copy of which was appended to the report.
The report advised that, as in previous years, the bulletin sets out what it believes are the challenges facing local government finances and assesses the sustainability of funding. The report had a strong focus on budget gaps and the work that the Accounts Commission believed was required in relation to medium and longer-term transformation in order to address these gaps.
DECIDED: That the content of the report and the Audit Scotland publication, appended to the report, be noted.
Report by Chief Finance Officer.
15
The Chief Finance Officer submitted a report relative to the Audit Scotland publication ‘Integration Joint Boards: Financial Bulletin 2023/24’ published on 6 March 2025 on behalf of the Accounts Commission, a copy of which was appended to the report.
The report provided further detail on the key messages of the publication.
DECIDED: That the content of the report and the Audit Scotland publication, appended to the report, be noted.
Training briefing by the Chief Internal Auditor. (copy of the training briefing can be found in the meeting document section below)
Report by Clerk.
16
The Clerk submitted a report relative to proposed dates of meetings of this Committee in 2025/26 and arrangements for these meetings.
DECIDED: That meetings of this Committee be held at 10.00 am on 12 September and 21 November 2025 and 20 March and 12 June 2026 and that these meetings continue to be held remotely using MS Teams.
Note that the next meeting of this Committee will be held remotely on MS Teams at 10.00 am on 20 June 2025.
18
DECIDED: That it be noted that the next meeting of this Committee would be held remotely on MS teams at 10.00 am on 20 June 2025.