Agenda item

Purpose: To inform the Health and Wellbeing Board of the funding arrangements and amounts to be transferred from the NHS to Local Authorities during 2013/14 – 2015/16.

Janet Meek drew the Boards attention to her report on the funding transfer from NHS England to Social funding, which detailed arrangements and amounts to be transferred from the NHS to Local Authorities during 2013/14 – 2015/16.

In late June, two Gateway letters from NHS England had been sent referring to the transfer of funding from the NHS to Local Authorities.

The first letter looked at the Funding Transfer from NHS England to social care. Funding for Berkshire West Authorities would come directly from the Thames Valley Area Team and the Health and Wellbeing Board would be the forum for discussions between the Area Teams, CCGs and Local Authorities on how the money should be spent.

The funding allocated to West Berkshire was almost £1.8 million. Funding would be passed over to the Local Authority once a Section 256 Agreement was signed. However, before the agreement was signed certain conditions needed to be satisfied which were set out in Janet Meek’s report.

The second letter concerned the Spending Round Health Settlement, which proposed the establishment of a £3.8bn Integrated Care Fund (Integrated Transformation Fund) of which the NHS would contribute £3.4bn. Most of the Transformation Fund would be a pooled budget for the integration of health and social care. It was stated that much of this was not new money and previously fell under NHS England. Some new money would be available as described in a further Bill from the Department of Health.

The pooled funding would sit with the Local Authority however, would be subject to plans being agreed by local Health and Wellbeing Boards and signed off by CCGs and Council Leaders. Plans would be subject to assurance at a national level and would need to include the protection of social care services.

Janet Meek reported that her paper was for discussion and for all to note the conditions. Janet Meek proposed that a sub task group of LA and CCG representation be established to recommend how funding was allocated in 2013/14.

Jan Evans stated that she had received the first Gateway letter however had not seen the second letter concerning the Spending Round Health Settlement. Jan Evans proposed that she would speak to finance colleagues and bring a report to the next Board meeting which outlined how the 13/14 funding was being  spent.

RESOLVED that: Jan Evans put together a report for the next meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board in September, outlining the current budget and how funding had been spent to date.

Dr Lise Llewellyn noted how well the discussion fitted in with those that had previously taken place on the Action Plan. Dr Llewellyn felt that more focus was required regarding preventative care. Dr Llewellyn highlighted that there would be risk in trying to add NHS Number to data as this would be extremely challenging. There was also a risk regarding seven day working.

Councillor Pask noted that they were already three months in to the 2013 virtual funding and questioned what the procedure was with this in mind. Jan Evans stated that this money had been accounted for against items outlined in Janet Meek’s report (page 79). Next year there would be a formal plan put in place for spending the money, which would be agreed in advance with the NHS.

Councillor Pask felt strongly that a mechanism was required to support how the funding was allocated. Jan Evans suggested in the first instance a smaller group meet including finance colleagues.

RESOLVED that: Jan Evans would set up a one off meeting with finance and CCG colleagues, to look at funding for 2013/14 in preparation for the next Board meeting in September.

Regarding NHS Numbers, Jan Evans reported that Social Care used the system RAISE. In two to five years this would need replacing. It was possible that the NHS system RIO might be suitable for the Council to use. It was asked whether this would also affect Children’s Services and Jan Evans confirmed that there was a strong argument for Adults and Children’s Services going forward with a similar system.

Dr Alex Anderson highlighted that there were two decisions that were required. Firstly to agree a sub task group and then secondly, a timescale for this group to be set up in.

RESOLVED that: coordinated by Jan Evans: a Sub Task Group would be set up to recommend how the funding should be allocated in 2013/14 and associated KPI’s by the next meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board on 26 September.