Adult Learning Disabilities - Annual Health Checks Implementation Group Minutes: June 2025

Attendees and apologies

SG Officials
Representative for NHS Dumfries and Galloway
Representative for NHS Borders
Representative for NHS Fife
Representative for NHS Grampian
Representative for NHS Tayside
Representative for NHS Lanarkshire 
Representative for NHS Orkney
Representative for NHS Ayrshire and Arran
Representative for NHS Western Isles
Representative for NHS 24
Representative for NHS Shetland
Representative for NHS Forth Valley

Apologies:
Representative for NHS Lothian
Representative for NHS Highland 
Representative for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 

Items and actions

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Updates from Scottish Government

Ministerial update

Scottish Government (SG) officials updated the group of the recent ministerial reshuffle. It was confirmed that Tom Arthur MSP, has been appointed as the Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing.

Annual data survey

Officials thanked Boards for submitting their returns and advised that the data is currently being analysed by the SG Health and Social Care Statistics Team. The findings are expected to be published over the summer, following Ministerial approval. Members will receive a dvance notice prior to  of publication.

Cross Party Group on Disability 

Officials attended the Cross-Party Group on Disability to give a presentation on Learning Disability annual health checks. Following the meeting, they engaged with Disability Sport, who expressed an interest in attending a future Implementation Group meeting to discuss how Boards might refer individuals to their services as part of the health check process.

SG annual health checks webpage

The group were advised that officials are currently developing a dedicated Annual Health Check page on the Scottish Government website. This page will host a range of helpful resources for individuals to access, relating to the annual health check process.

Review of annual health check format

Officials advised the group that there will be a formal review of the annual health check format, prompted by the increasing scale of delivery over the last few years.  The review, beginning in  September, will be led by the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities (SCLD). It will incorporate  feedback from Boards and delivery teams on content, structure as potential additions to the current question set. Updates on the review’s progress will be shared with the group.

Data update 

Officials an update on the PHS PCIS Proposal, which aims to extract GP data to improve understanding of the health and healthcare outcomes of people with learning disabilities. This piece of work is currently being considered by the PHS GP Editorial Board.

NHS Boards contact points

Following discussions at the May meeting and an increase in related enquiries, officials reiterated the need for each Board to identify either a named contact or a central contact point for health checks. This information will be made publicly available for inquiries. Boards are asked to consider their preferred approach and share contact details with SG. It was agreed contacts would be shared with SG ahead of the next meeting.

Health Board update presentation – NHS Western Isles

NHS Western Isles delivered a  presentation updating then Group on their with annual health checks. 

Following the presentation, members discussed on the potential development of a of a nationally standardised MORSE template, given the number of Boards that are currently using or transitioning to MORSE. Members interested in contributing to initial discussions are encouraged to contact SG officials

Any other business

Members were advised that the NES and NHS Tayside will be working on the next episodes of the annual health checks podcast series developed by NES. These episodes will have a focus on clinical skills.

Date of next meeting 

Thursday 21 August 2025