Falkirk’s Integration Joint Board, responsible for the strategic planning and operational oversight of local health and social care services, met on 20 January 2026. Here’s a summary of what member’s discussed:

Chief Officer Report

Presented at each board meeting, the Chief Officer report provides an overview of local, regional, and national updates across health and social care. This report presented a range of updates, including:

• Colleagues from the Council and Partnership came together at Falkirk Stadium recently to celebrate the dedication, commitment and achievements of our workforce. This year, the Council brought together its Employee Recognition Awards and Long Service Awards into a single event for the first time.

• The Partnership has shared an update about its use of the paid Care Opinion platform. The Partnership will move to Care Opinion’s free subscription plan. Members of the public can continue to share their stories on Care Opinion about services. Two members of staff will now access the system to provide a response to any story published.

• The Care Inspectorate has published a report following an inspection of how care at home services are arranged and provided in Falkirk. Care at home services delivered by Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership have received ‘good’ ratings in a new comprehensive review of care.

• The Scottish Government has set in motion the process to expand voting rights on Integration Joint Boards to include Unpaid carers, disabled people and people with lived experience. The draft regulations will come into force in September, with guidance to be issued to Boards ahead of this change.

Under this agenda item, the Board also approved the appointment of Ian Dickson as Third Sector Rep to the IJB and its Performance, Audit, and Assurance Committee.

• 🔗 Agenda item 5: Chief Officer Report

Financial Updates

The Chief Finance Officer presented a Budget Monitoring Report for the current financial year and an updated 2026/27 IJB Business Case and Medium-Term Financial Plan.

The monitoring report outlines a projected overspend which will be met by the use of reserves and contributions from partner organisations (NHS Forth Valley and Falkirk Council).

The process to set Falkirk’s annual health and social care budget for 2026/2027 has also begun, with further information on the Partnership’s news pages. A public consultation on possible changes to adult social care charges is open until 16 February.

• 🔗Agenda item 6: 2026/27 Business Case and Medium-Term Financial Plan Update
• 🔗Agenda item 7: Budget Monitoring Report January 2026

Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report

The Board received an annual report from Sara Lacey, Falkirk’s Chief Social Work Officer. The report presents a range of information covering:

• Governance and Statutory Functions
• Service Quality and Performance
• Challenges and Improvements
• Resources
• Training, Learning, and Development
• Looking Ahead

🔗Agenda item 8: Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report

Assurance and Governance

In addition to topical and thematic reports, the Board received operational and monitoring updates including:

• 🔗Agenda item 9: Communications and Engagement Update
• 🔗Agenda item 11: Assurance Report from the Performance, Audit, and Assurance Committee

A Commissioning and Contracts Monitoring Report was presented to the Board in private. Exclusion of the public was applied to this agenda item under Section 11(1), Appendix 1 (viii, ix, x), of the Falkirk Integration Joint Board Standing Orders.

Further information

• All Integration Joint Board meetings are livestreamed on Falkirk Council’s Committee Meetings YouTube channel. A recording is available to watch shortly after. A copy of all Board reports can be found on the Falkirk Council committee webpages.
• The next meeting of the Integration Joint Board will be 20 March 2026. The Performance, Audit, and Assurance Committee will next meet on 06 March 2026.