Scotland’s Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) face considerable financial challenges and immense pressures on their workforce. IJBs have reached the point where significant transformation will be needed to ensure the long-term capacity, financial sustainability and quality of services individuals receive.

Uncertainty remains over the final costs and completion dates of two delayed lifeline ferries, Glen Sannox (801) and vessel 802. Concerns have also been raised over the payment of performance bonuses to senior managers at Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow.

The Scottish Government needs to be clearer about how long it will take the NHS to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and to reform services.

The government's NHS recovery plan aims to reduce the healthcare backlog and change how services are delivered. But the plan does not contain the detailed actions that would allow progress to be accurately measured. It also lacks robust modelling to understand demand and capacity. The backlog has continued to increase in the 18 months since the plan was published as the NHS deals with a range of pressures.

Many people are waiting longer for housing benefit claims to be processed as services across Scotland’s councils face rising workloads, fewer staff and high sickness absence levels.

The Accounts Commission, the independent body that holds councils to account, says councils need to better manage staffing levels and workloads, and put in place contingency arrangements.