NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde: Chief Operating Officer Safety and Assurance Oversight Group Minutes: 25 February 2026

Attendees and apologies

Attendees
(Chair) - Chief Operating Officer, NHS Scotland
Deputy Director Health Infrastructure and Sustainability
Deputy Chief Medical Officer
Head of HCAI and AMR Unit (Healthcare and Associated Infections & Antimicrobial Resistance)
Deputy Director, Planning & Quality
Deputy Director of Leadership, Culture and Wellbeing
Deputy Director Chief Nursing Officer
Head of Health Sponsorship
Secretariat

Apologies
Professional Nurse Advisor, Healthcare Associated Infections
Deputy Director, Information Scrutiny & Governance 
Unit Head, Information Governance Response Unit
Chief Nursing Officer
Deputy Chief Nursing Officer

Items and actions

Welcome
The Chair welcomed attendees and explained this meeting is a good opportunity to take stock, a lot of moving parts
Going forward the Chair would like to meet monthly, coordinated with meetings of the NHS GGC Safety and Public Confidence Group (SPCOG). 

Approval of Minutes of meeting 1, 18 February 2026
The Chair asked for any comments on the 18/02 minutes please email the secretariat

Actions log
The Chair asked for all members to review this log and update.

Terms of Reference
The Chair explained the group has a near-final version which takes in all previous comments.
Are all members content to sign this off and to agree to review once we have the SPCOG Terms of Reference to ensure they align? All agreed

Action: Any last comments should be sent to secretariat by close today

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Update
Head of Health Sponsorship – GGC Public Board meeting 26/02
Cabinet Secretary visiting QEUH (private visit) on 04/03
First Minister (FM) and Cabinet Secretary meeting families 26/02 and 05/03
Cabinet Secretary met MSPs on 18/03 and meeting Gillian Mackay 26/02
Have arranged a regular “touch point” meeting with all policy areas to ensure co-ordination of approach, first meeting 26/02.

The Chair highlighted the GGC Public Board meeting on 26/02 is a significant moment so colleagues should expect media interest.
The Chair also highlighted the need to consider engagement with elected members going forward therefore the 

Action: Head of Health Sponsorship to arrange a walk around of QEUH site for the Chair.

The Chair will attend an in-person catch up with GGC (GGC CE and Sir Lewis) following each SPCOG meeting 

Action: Secretariat to arrange.

Questions to put to GGC
The Chair advised things have moved on in terms of previously discussed questions posed for GGC therefore propose that members review the SPCOG ToR and can then ask any remaining questions – all members agreed.

Next steps
The Chair refers to upcoming Ministerial priorities as listed meeting schedule above which is under GGC update.

AOB
The Head of HCAI and AMR Unit advised the reporting issue was discussed with the Director for HSC Performance and Delivery; and Chief Nursing Officer. They will consider bringing oversight into this group and will present a paper to a future meeting.
The Chair agreed and would like to discuss escalation regarding how Boards manage issues within the system.

Action: Head of Health Sponsorship and Head of HCAI and AMR Unit to consider.

The Deputy Director of the Chief Nursing Officer advised GGC is currently escalated to stage 2 for Infection, Prevention and Control which is still relevant.

Action: The Chair asked the secretariat to add reference to NPPOG and the COO NHS GGC Safety and Assurance Oversight Group feeding in any issues into the ToR.

There are a number of FOIs on a range of issues so a correct coordinated handling is needed for these.
The Head of Health Sponsorship advised the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry team have oversight and the new policy “touch point” group will be an opportunity to ensure a coordinated and consistent approach.

The Chair agreed and said it is useful to do this up to the election period.
Agreed to have FOI as a standing item for this group’s agenda