The Clinical and Adult Social Work Governance Committee met to review the risk register and discuss improvements to assurance reporting. The committee noted that future reports would focus on high and very high risks, and that no new risks were being escalated at this time.

Action Log Updates

The committee received updates on outstanding actions from previous meetings. The action concerning the clarification of the risk report was noted as being covered by the substantive discussion on the Clinical and Adult Social Work Risk Register and Assurance. Councillor David Keating expressed a preference to keep the action related to the benchmarking of delayed discharge open for another meeting, a sentiment echoed for the action concerning the drug and alcohol service redesign timeline.

Clinical and Adult Social Work Risk Register and Assurance

The committee discussed the Clinical and Adult Social Work Risk Register and Assurance report, which detailed work undertaken by the Governance Group (CASWG) to review the risk register and assurance structures. The report highlighted weaknesses in the current register, including duplication of risks, insufficient articulation of potential impacts, limited recording of management strategies, poor compliance with review timescales, and a need for clearer ownership.

The committee agreed to proposed improvement actions aimed at strengthening the quality, consistency, ownership, and review of risks. These include a structured review of all risks on the register, prioritising very high risks, and confirming details such as risk description, owner, controls, mitigation actions, and review dates.

Future reports to the committee will focus on:

• Very high and high risks requiring committee oversight.
• Risks where controls or assurance are insufficient.
• Deteriorating risks or those not reducing as anticipated.
• Overdue reviews and actions.
• Risks requiring escalation, cross-system intervention, or additional support.
• Evidence that completed actions have resulted in improved outcomes or reduced exposure.

The committee noted that a refreshed and validated extract of the risk register will be maintained as the supporting operational record for scrutiny by the CASWG Group, with relevant exception information presented to the committee through regular assurance reporting. It was also noted that no risks were being escalated to the committee from the register at this time, other than by exception.

During the discussion, Councillor Keating raised concerns about the clarity of risks requiring escalation and the potential for cross-system intervention. Alex Pirrie, Partnership Manager North, clarified that the aim was to provide assurance on the accuracy of risk levels and owners, and that escalation would be by exception. Professor Shantini Paranjothy, NHS, inquired about the strategic themes emerging from the risk review process and the reporting lines from operational groups to the committee. Lindsay Flockhart, Lead Social Worker, explained that a reporting cycle was being developed to identify themes for committee discussion and that an organogram of governance structures would be shared.

Alison McGruther, Chief Nurse, provided assurance regarding staffing risks, particularly in health visiting, noting that work was underway to attract trainees and use the safe care system to manage daily updates and support. She acknowledged that recruitment challenges, particularly in North Aberdeenshire, were historic.

The committee agreed to the recommendations, with a minor amendment to clarify that the improvement actions were detailed in Section 4 of the report, not Appendix 1.

Matters of Escalation

Lindsay Flockhart confirmed that there were no matters to escalate to the committee from the CASWG group. The committee also confirmed that they had no matters to escalate to the Integration Joint Board.

The meeting concluded with the Chair noting that the business had been completed more quickly than usual, anticipating more items for discussion at future meetings.