The Integration Joint Board (IJB) of Aberdeenshire Council met on 18 March 2026 to discuss and approve the 2026-27 revenue budget, review NHS Grampian's draft priorities for the upcoming year, and endorse the Aberdeenshire Adult Carer Strategy 2025-2030. Key decisions included the approval of a balanced budget for 2026-27, noting the alignment of NHS Grampian's priorities with the IJB's strategic goals, and the adoption of the new carer strategy.

IJB Budget Report 2026-27

The board approved the 2026-27 revenue budget, which was balanced based on confirmed funding from Aberdeenshire Council and NHS Grampian. This budget includes an indicative savings programme of £5.7 million, detailed in Appendix 2 of the IJB Budget Report 2026-27¹, which is expected to have limited direct impact on frontline service delivery. The board also noted the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) charging policy for 2026-27, with charges applied from 6 April 2026 as approved by Aberdeenshire Council on 26 February 2026. An update on the 2025-26 recovery plan was noted, with a further report to follow after discussions with funding partners. The Chief Officer was instructed to maintain strengthened financial management and monitoring arrangements to stay within budget. The board acknowledged that there are no reserves for 2026-27 and agreed the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) as detailed in Appendix 6 of the IJB Budget Report 2026-27². The committee also considered and commented on the 2025-26 financial position outlined in paragraphs 4.36 to 4.41 and Appendices 7 and 8 of the IJB Budget Report 2026-27³.

NHS Grampian Draft 2026/27 Priorities for Delivery

The board considered and commented on NHS Grampian's draft priorities for 2026/27, as presented in the NHS Grampian 2026-27 Priorities for Delivery⁴ document. These priorities build upon NHS Grampian's existing Plan for the Future strategic framework and respond to the current operating context, including the findings of an external diagnostic review and the NHS Scotland renewal agenda. The proposed priorities for 2026-27 are: People, Leadership & Governance; Prevention; Planned Care; Urgent & Unscheduled Care; and Value & Sustainability. The board noted the alignment between these priorities and the IJB's own strategic delivery plan, particularly concerning prevention, home-first approaches, discharge without delay, community-based care, and medium-term financial sustainability. A commitment to continue improving whole-system working and ensuring alignment between respective plans was reaffirmed.

Aberdeenshire Adult Carer Strategy 2025-2030

The board approved the final draft of the Aberdeenshire Adult Carer Strategy 2025-2030⁵ for launch in April 2026. This strategy outlines how unpaid adult carers across Aberdeenshire will be recognised, valued, and supported over the next four years. It aligns with national requirements under the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016⁶ and the National Carers Strategy, and takes into account the Care Reform (Scotland) Act 2025⁷. The strategy is built around four core priorities: earlier identification of carers, timely and personalised support, recognising carers as equal partners in decision-making, and improving access to meaningful breaks. The strategy will be implemented within current staffing and budget allocations, with no additional financial or staffing requirements anticipated. The board agreed that officers would report back on progress specifically related to this strategy at the October 2026 meeting.

Outcomes of IJB Directions 2023-2025 and Annual Report on Directions Issued 2025-2026

The board acknowledged the outcomes and progress of directions implemented in 2023-24 and 2024-25, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the IJB Directions 2023-2025 and Annual Report on Directions Issued 2025-2026⁸. They also acknowledged the annual report on directions issued during 2025-26, as presented in Appendix 2 of the same document. A further report on the progress and outcomes of these directions will be provided at the end of the 2026-27 financial year. The report will be shared by the Chief Officer with the Chief Executives of both Aberdeenshire Council and NHS Grampian.

Chief Officer's Report

Leigh Jolly, Chief Officer of the Health and Social Care Partnership, provided an overview of key national and local developments shaping service delivery. This included the launch of the National Social Work Agency⁹, updates on the implementation of the new support-at-home framework with enhanced rural rates, progress on NHS Grampian's Working Centre programme, and the planned expansion of hospital-at-home capacity. The report also noted preparatory work on forthcoming changes to voting rights for non-voting IJB members and provided an update on risks and mitigations within the neurorehabilitation pathway redesign.

Integration Joint Board Action Log

The board noted the updates on the Integration Joint Board Action Log¹⁰. Key items discussed included the ongoing engagement with the community council regarding Inch Hospital, with a report expected by July 2026. Updates were also provided on the Fireby Health Centre development session and a minor correction to the date for a future paper on neurorehabilitation pathway redesign.

Minutes of Previous Meetings

The minutes of the Integration Joint Board meeting on 28 January 2026 were approved without discussion. The approved minutes of the Clinical and Adult Social Work Governance Committee of 3 October 2025 and the IJB Audit Committee of 3 December 2025 were also noted. A minor error in the Clinical and Adult Social Work Governance Committee minute regarding weekly hours was noted and will be referred back to the committee for ratification.