Integrated Joint Boards. There are lots of them. In a despairing attempt to get health boards and councils to work together, health minister Alex Neil nailed them together in IJBs and told them to share, nicely.

The best thing that can be said about IJBs is that they preserve local democratic control of public services. What’s the worst thing?

Angela Currie is CEO of Hanover Scotland, a supported housing provider which operates in areas controlled by 23 IJBs. Close working relationships with 23 boards is impossible, so Hanover concentrates on six.

One of her frustrations is that IJBs interpret national procurement laws differently. Hanover Scotland can design, build and operate supported housing; they’ve been doing that for decades. But some local IJBs may insist on putting the support element out to tender, unnecessarily in Angela’s view.

It’s fairly clear (to me) that IJBs are in a transitional stage on the way to something we haven’t really thought through yet, i.e. the National Care Service (NCS). But we don’t need an NCS to develop more effective partnerships between housing organisations, health boards and social workers. Perhaps the Summit on accessible housing will bring inspiration. That could help get people out of hospital beds and into accessible homes.

Building supported homes under the same grant regime as general needs housing also carries challenges. This is more a matter for government than IJBs. Angela says grants do not take into account “extra” things like donning and doffing spaces where support staff can change uniforms. These and other features are required for infection control.

Angela was our guest on the second Scottish Housing News Podcast episode on accessibility (find the first episode here) and we talked about many things, including the mooted Scottish Accessibility Standard. Along with the late Julia Fitzpatrick, Angela contributed some ideas which might make it easier for people to find accessible housing.

One of those was an accessibility rating which estate agents would put on their adverts. It would save house hunters so much time.

I haven’t revealed the worst thing about IJBs. It’s not having to battle the council and the health board for a slice of their budgets. I think it’s the enormous Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads in the form of the National Care Service. If we’re going to do it, let’s do it soon. Or scrap the whole idea and leave IJBs in peace to get on.

Anyway, Angela’s passion for supported housing is clear and you can hear her on the SHN podcast, or read the transcript. Thanks to Hanover Scotland who have made free places available to charities and others.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

The Scottish Housing News Podcast is co-hosted by Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black. All episodes are available here as well as on the following platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Spotify for Podcasters