Seòmar agus comataidhean

The next item on our agenda is an evidence session as part of our pre-budget scrutiny for 2025-26, focusing on the financial position of integration joint boards. I welcome to the committee Professor David Bell, professor of economics from the University of Stirling; Michael Kellet, director of strategy, governance and performance from Public Health Scotland; and Kathrine Sibbald, senior manager at Audit Scotland.

We will move straight to questions. The Accounts Commission’s report “Integration Joint Boards: Finance and performance 2024” notes that IJBs are often not informed of their allocations from national health service boards ahead of the start of the financial year. How could that situation be improved and what impact does that have on financial planning?

Briefly.

We continue our pre-budget scrutiny with a second panel of witnesses. I welcome Caroline Cameron, chief officer of North Ayrshire integration joint board; Pat Togher, chief officer of Edinburgh integration joint board; and Sharon Wearing, chair of the integrated joint boards chief finance officer section in the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. Professor Soumen Sengupta, chief officer of South Lanarkshire integration joint board, is unfortunately no longer able to join us this morning.

We will move straight to questions.

Only if you are extremely brief.

I thank the minister and her officials for their evidence. This is the committee’s final meeting ahead of the summer recess. Further details of our next meeting will be published towards the end of August. That concludes the public part of our meeting today.

We have 15 minutes left and there are still lots of questions.

I will pick up on some of what you said in your opening statement, when you talked about SDS assisting people to pursue their passions and interests and to enhance their quality of life.

Witnesses suggested to the committee that there is tension between their accounting rules and how they commission and procure services more flexibly, and we heard some examples of that. What is the Scottish Government doing to examine any barriers to better commissioning and procurement processes? The barriers might not relate to direct care, but more widely to enhancing people’s lives and allowing them to be more independent.

I call Sandesh Gulhane.

For the sake of time, could you write to the committee on that?

The second item on our agenda is for the committee to decide whether to take items 4, 5 and 6 in private. Do members agree to do so?

Members indicated agreement.