Adult Learning Disabilities - Annual Health Checks Implementation Group minutes: March 2025

Attendees and apologies

Scottish Government Officials

• Representative(s) for NHS Fife
• Representative(s) for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
• Representative for NHS Ayrshire & Arran
• Representative for NHS Lanarkshire 
• Representative for NHS Tayside
• Representative(s) for NHS Grampian
• Representative for NHS Ayrshire & Arran
• Representative for NHS Forth Valley
• Representative for NHS Lothian
• Representative for NHS Borders
• Representative for NHS Dumfries and Galloway
• Representative for NHS Western Isle 
• Independent Chair, Orkney Public Protection Committee

Apologies:

• Representative for NHS24
• Representative for NHS Lanarkshire

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Updates from Scottish Government

Finance update on recurring funding

SG officials provided the group with an update on the bundled mental health framework monies, in which annual health checks are included, and confirmed that this will be recurring funding moving forward. Previous correspondence had been issued to members regarding this issue ahead of the meeting.

Members of the group welcomed the confirmation of the recurring funding but highlighted that there was still some concerns at local level with regards to delivering a reduced service given local budget cuts .  SG officials confirmed that they will continue to monitor the situation and are available to meet with Boards to discuss specific issues.

Summary of data survey

SG officials thanked the group for completing the informal data collection survey to gather information on health checks between the 1 April 2024 to 31 December 2024. Officials at the time of the meeting were still awaiting for information from one Health Board.

The information collated showed that during 1 April 2024 to 31 December 2024 there were 3,789 individuals offered a health check - this was an increase of 10% from the previous data collection. 2,573 health checks were completed across health boards – this was an increase of 6% from the previous data collection.

The official data collection for 24-25 will be issued on 31st March 2025 to Boards.

Update on structure of the Implementation Group

There was a discussion regarding the format of the Implementation Group following the feedback received from members as part of the data collection survey. Majority of members feedback said that they liked the current format of these meetings and would like to continue.  

SG officials suggested that going forward the implementation group meetings could focus on the operational aspect of the delivery of health checks and that more strategic issues would be discussed with Boards individually and feedback and concerns escalated to senior SG officials. We will also explore the opportunity to feed these conversations into Mental Health Directorate meetings with Boards.  Members of the group raised concerns around this approach and were keen to ensure that strategic conversations which happen at this meeting would still continue. 

We are trying to find a balance between support for delivery and accountability. There is a challenge within the group to strike that balance, due to the varying levels of roles and responsibilities represented and the varying stages in delivery each Board find themselves at.

The changes we are making to the group incorporate feedback from all Boards and our knowledge and understanding gained from meetings we have with Boards individually outside of the group. We are keen to provide the right support at the right time, that addresses the needs identified by each Board.

Whilst the focus may be on operational activity there will still be opportunities for members to raise and discuss more strategic issues where relevant and we will develop a process to collate this information and explore avenues for escalation.

It was also raised that a peer support group had been set up which some Boards were unaware of this. GG&C will provide details of the group  and these will be circulated to members.

Independent Chair, Orkney Public Protection Committee session

The Independent Chair, Orkney Public Protection Committee, provided the Group with a presentation on the summary of findings of the Serious Case Review of the Margaret Flemming case. As part of the review there was a recommendation linking to the Scottish Health Check for Adults with Learning Disabilities.

Date of next meeting

Thursday 24 April – 13:00 to 14:30.