Scottish ministers have set in motion a process to change the law to extend voting rights on integration joint boards to include service user, unpaid carer and third sector representatives. New draft regulation fulfils a recent commitment made by the health secretary and delivers a key recommendation of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland.

Scotland’s 31 integration joint boards (IJBs) bring together the NHS and local councils to act as the governance bodies overseeing local planning, commissioning and delivery of social care and community health services.

Representatives of the third sector, carers and service users sit on each IJB alongside the chief officer and chief social worker for the partnership, a chief medical officer, nursing director, local GP and staff side representative.

However, currently, under the Public Bodies (Joint Working) Scotland Act 2014, only IJB members appointed by the NHS board and local councils can vote.

This inequity has left some representatives feeling their inclusion is ‘tokenistic’, and that they have no meaningful way to reflect the voices of service users and carers in decisions taken by the board.

In his independent review report published in February 2021 which envisioned a National Care Service, Derek Feeley, stated that it was “vital that we amplify the voice of lived experience at every level in our redesign”, stressing the importance of a partnership that involved both staff and of people who need social care support.

In September healthandcare.scot reported that the Scottish government was actively reviewing who should have voting rights, and was talking to a mix of organisations representing third sector providers and staff. At the end of November, it officially consulted councils and NHS boards on the proposed changes.

In late December, ministers published a proposal, The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Integration Joint Boards) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025, that would allow people appointed to IJBs as representatives of third sector bodies, service users and unpaid carers, to vote at board meetings.

Social Care Minister Tom Arthur said:

“I am determined to ensure those who access and support community health and social care services have an equal say in shaping the decisions that affect their communities.

“These regulations will extend voting rights to unpaid carers, service users and third sector representatives, collectively representing the voice of lived experience.

“It is only fair that these voices carry equal weight alongside other members.

“People with lived experience provide valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities which should be considered during integration joint board planning.

“We expect to see more inclusive, collaborative and improved decision making.”

The Scottish government says they expect the changes to come into force in September.

 

Read more: Politicians told: “Carers cannot wait”; Government to review user voices on IJBs; IJBs’ design shuts out key voices

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