New IJB Voting Rights for Lived Experience Representatives
19th August 2026
The Integration Joint Board (IJB) is the governance structure that oversees the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), bringing together council social work services and NHS community health services under a single strategic framework. This means the IJB oversees a wide range of essential services including social care, homelessness, family support, addiction services, social work, and many others that play a vital role in people’s daily lives.
Why Lived Experience Matters in Local Health and Social Care Governance
Since the establishment of IJBs in Scotland, membership has included representatives from the third sector, service users and unpaid carers. Collectively known as “Lived Experience Representatives”, these members bring perspectives and insights grounded in direct experience of services and support systems. Their inclusion has been a requirement of the legislation that created HSCPs, recognising the importance of involving those most closely connected to services in local decision-making. The Third Sector Wellbeing, Health & Social Care Network selects the third sector representative on the Glasgow City IJB.
Until now, however, voting rights on IJBs have been limited to Councillors and NHS Board Members. While Lived Experience Representatives could contribute to discussions and decision-making, they have not been able to cast votes on formal decisions.
New voting rights for these representatives come into force on 1 September 2026.
From that date, these members will have the same voting rights as IJB members representing the NHS Health Board and local authority.
Strengthening Participation in Health and Social Care Decision-Making
This change marks a significant step forward in strengthening participation and shared decision-making within health and social care governance. People with lived experience have consistently made the case for voting rights. The new arrangements recognise the unique knowledge, expertise and perspective that people with lived experience bring. It creates opportunities for more meaningful involvement in decisions about how services are designed, planned and delivered, while helping to ensure that policies are informed by the realities of the people and communities they impact.
Most importantly, this change means that when key decisions are made about health and social care services, the voices of third sector representatives, service users and unpaid carers will carry equal weight alongside those of NHS and local authority representatives.
You can read more about Glasgow’s IJB here.