Decision-makers will meet to set Inverclyde Integration Joint Board’s (IJB) budget for the next two years against a backdrop of “cost pressures” next week.
Voting members will consider a report, which sets out anticipated funding from Inverclyde Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, at a key meeting on Monday afternoon.
They will be asked to give Kate Rocks, chief officer of Inverclyde Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), delegated authority to accept the formal funding offers from the organisations.
It will also be recommended the IJB, which oversees the HSCP, agrees indicative net revenue budgets of £83.16 million to the local authority and £149.7m to the health board and direct this is spent in line with the strategic plan.
Importantly, they will also be expected to approve savings of £6.493m and note the need to temporarily use £757,000 of reserves in 2026/27 which will be returned in 2027/28.
The issue of prescribing continues to be considered an “area of risk” for the IJB in the coming year – a situation which has been observed in other parts of Scotland.
A report, which will be considered at the board, said: “The IJB has historically taken a very prudent approach to prescribing budgets to allow for the high volume and cost pressures within the local area.
“For 2026/27 the IJB continues to expect this to be an area of risk. Recent drug pressures have not materialised as expected for 2025/26 but the IJB understanding [is] this continues to be an area of risk.
“In 2026/27 it is proposed to increase the prescribing budget by £366,000. In the event that the budget isn’t sufficient to cover in-year pressures the IJB has smoothing reserves in place to cover any ongoing volume and price implications.
“The pharmacy/prescribing working group will focus its effort in 2026/27 with the view of reducing these pressures.
“The Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board are also conducting a larger scale savings exercise, which we are part of, to help reduce these pressures.”
The IJB is a separate entity from the council and health board with full autonomy to act on its own behalf regarding health and social care.
