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Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tayside Mental Health Services Independent Oversight and Assurance Group

Letter from Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care - Independent Oversight and Assurance Group - 26 October 2021

Dear Gillian,

Tayside Mental Health Services Independent Oversight and Assurance Group

I write to inform you that I have appointed an Independent Oversight and Assurance Group for Tayside Mental Health Services and will be announcing this by way of a Government Initiated Question (GIQ) during week beginning 25 October.

You will recall that Dr David Strang conducted an Independent Inquiry into Mental Health Services in Tayside, the final report from which - entitled ‘Trust and Respect’ - was published in February 2020. The Scottish Government commissioned a Progress Report which was subsequently published in July 2021.

The Independent Oversight and Assurance Group will work with the Tayside Executive Partnership to support progress in improving Tayside’s mental health services by ensuring that the recommendations from the independent inquiry are fully implemented.

The group will be chaired by Fiona Lees, former Chief Executive of East Ayrshire Council. She will be supported by David Williams, former Chief Officer of Glasgow City Integrated Joint Board and Fraser McKinlay, former Director of Audit, Performance and Best Value in Audit Scotland.

The group will provide me with written quarterly updates on progress. The role of the group is also separate from that of the Tayside Executive Partnership which is expected to have its own collective assurance processes and remains accountable to their relevant NHS Board and local Councils.

A copy of the GIQ is included in Annex A of this letter and the group’s Terms of Reference is included in Annex B.

I hope you will agree that this is a positive step towards ensuring the provision and delivery of high quality mental health services which are safe, effective, and trustworthy and meet the needs and expectations of the people of Tayside.

Yours sincerely,
Kevin Stewart
Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care

Annexe A

GOVERNMENT INITIATED QUESTION (GIQ)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made to establish independent oversight and assurance of NHS Tayside’s mental health services and to ensure there is ongoing support for the Tayside Executive Partnership in responding to the findings and recommendations from the independent inquiry following Dr David Strang’s progress review published in July this year.

Answer

I have now appointed an independent group who will provide oversight and assurance. The group will work with the Tayside Executive Partnership to support progress in improving Tayside’s mental health services and ensure that the recommendations from the independent inquiry are fully implemented.

The group will be chaired by Fiona Lees, former Chief Executive of East Ayrshire Council. She will be supported by David Williams, former Chief Officer of Glasgow City Integrated Joint Board and previously an Advisor on Integration to the Scottish Government; and Fraser McKinlay, former Director of Audit, Performance and Best Value in Audit Scotland.

The Scottish Government takes the recommendations from the independent inquiry seriously and I believe the skill set and experience of these members are essential to providing the appropriate oversight of their implementation to improve mental health services in Tayside.

The Independent Oversight and Assurance Group on Tayside Mental Health Services will provide me with written updates on progress on a quarterly basis. The role of this group is also separate from that of the Tayside Executive Partnership which is expected to have its own collective assurance processes and remains accountable to the NHS Board and relevant Councils. This is a time-limited group, initially for a 12 month period. The timescales for its operation will be kept under review and as such, it will not become an established part of the governance landscape in Tayside.

I am determined that real and sustained progress is made in Tayside through the implementation of the independent inquiry recommendations and most importantly, that the people of Tayside receive the quality of mental health care which meets their needs and expectations, and that healthcare staff are appropriately supported and developed.