Report recommends full involvement of carers in Integrated Joint Boards

A new report from the Carers Collaborative on Integrated Joint Board (IJB) Carer Representation, highlights progress and make recommendations for future improvements.

The Carers Collaborative is a project that supports, evaluates and improves carer representation on
Integration Joint Boards (IJBs). It has gathered evidence and has facilitated events since March 2016, involving 55 Carer Reps from 30 Local Authority areas.

The requirement for carer representation in the planning and commissioning of public services is set out in the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, which requires Integration Authorities to include a Carer Representative on their IJB.

There are 3 Equal and Expert standards for Carer engagement which are:

1. Carer Engagement is fully resourced
2. Carers on strategic planning groups represent the views of local carers
3. The involvement of carers on strategic planning groups is meaningful and effective

The report makes a number of recommendations to support the full involvement of carer reps in IJB meetings including:

1. IJBs to engage with the Carers Collaborative and fully utilise Carer Reps experience and
   expertise in the National Care Service co-design process and development of carer involvement in Care Boards.
2. Prioritise Carer Awareness training for IJB strategic partners.
3. Fully involve carers to ‘carer proof’ policies, linking these with Equality Impact Assessments.
4. Develop succession planning processes for Carer Reps and identify wider carer representation.
5. Develop structured training and mentoring for Carer Reps.
6. Ensure replacement care expenses are available to Carer Reps (without the need
   for them to use their own network of support or existing care packages or SDS funding).
7. Ensure Carer Rep involvement is meaningful and is having an impact on decision-making.
8. Ensure IJBs issue papers sufficiently in advance to allow Carer Reps to read, consult
   and prepare. IJBs to allow time in meetings for discussion and questions.

You can find a copy of the report here: Equal, expert and valued: Seven years on – Enhancing carer representation on Integration Joint Boards

You can find more information on the work of the Coalition of Carers in Scotland here: http://www.carersnet.org/