Agenda item

(CSP: P&S)

Purpose:  The Better Care Fund (BCF) is a government initiative established to fast track integration with Health and Social Care. The West Berkshire Health and Wellbeing Board’s Locality Integration Board has developed a draft plan based on the Department of Health’s 2017-19 Integration and BCF policy framework, however the national guidance has not yet been published. Advice from the Better Care Team is that all localities will need to submit plans to NHS England by 16th May 2017.

In order to avoid any delay in the submission of the plan this report seeks the Executive’s approval for the draft BCF plan for 2017/19, subject to the Head of Adult Social Care, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, ensuring the plan aligns with the BCF National Guidance once it is published.

Resolved that the draft plan be approved and that delegated authority be granted to the Head of Adult Social Care, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, to approve the final place for the Better Care Fund 2017/19.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·      a delay in implementing the decision could cause the Council serious financial implications.

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda Item 6) concerning the Better Care Fund (BCF). The BCF was a government initiative established to fast track integration between Health and Social Care. The West Berkshire Health and Wellbeing Board’s Locality Integration Board had developed a draft plan based on the Department of Health’s 2017-19 Integration and BCF Policy Framework, however the national guidance had not yet been published. Advice from the NHS England Better Care Team was that all localities would need to submit plans to NHS England by 16 May 2017.

In order to avoid any delay in the submission of the plan, the report sought Executive approval of the draft BCF Plan for 2017/19, subject to the Head of Adult Social Care, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, ensuring the plan aligned with the BCF National Guidance once it was published.

Councillor Graham Jones in introducing the report advised that it had been approved earlier that same day by the Health and Wellbeing Board. He explained that its core aim was to achieve improved outcomes for individuals and he commended the report to the Executive.

Councillor Rick Jones added his support to the proposal. He was pleased to note that the BCF Plan would address many important areas, in particular it would seek improved integration between Health and Social Care.

Councillor Lee Dillon noted the report’s recommendation was to approve the plan subject to the Head of Adult Social Care, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, agreeing the final submission. However, this did not align with paragraph 5.2 of the supporting information which stated that authority would instead be delegated to the Locality Integration Board. Tandra Forster clarified that the report’s recommendation was correct, as presented by Councillor Graham Jones.

Councillor Dillon also noted that the national guidance had yet to be published and he was concerned should this vary significantly and the BCF Plan would need to undergo major changes. He queried whether Members would be briefed in this eventuality. Tandra Forster explained that she had met with the NHS England Better Care Team and had been given an assurance that it was unlikely that plans would need to change drastically.

Councillor Dillon then referred to funding allocations. The current estimated allocation for 2017/18 was a 1.79% increase to the BCF and in 2018/19 a 1.9% increase. However, noted that negotiations were ongoing to achieve increases of 2.3% and 2% in the next two financial years. He queried, if negotiations were successful, how the additional 0.5% of funding would be spent in 2017/18 and the level of confidence that it would be received when considering that the BCF had underspent in 2016/17. Tandra Forster confirmed that the underspend had been fully committed. She added that if a higher percentage increase was successfully negotiated then it would be used to help maintain existing social care services. It was agreed that a briefing would be provided to Members to explain the planned expenditure of the BCF.

Councillor Dillon next turned to the narrative overview of the BCF Plan. This stated that funding pressures were set to continue and it was clear that without wide scale transformation the Council would not be able to meet future needs. Councillor Dillon questioned whether wide scale transformation was being outlined in the BCF Plan. Tandra Forster explained that wide scale transformation was a long term objective and this would be taken forward across the Berkshire West 10 and as part of the implementation of the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) Sustainability and Transformation Plan. She added that the transformative work of the Joint Care Pathway was already embedded as business as usual within Health and Social Care.

Councillor Alan Macro sought to clarify that the funding contributions table outlined in the BCF Plan was accurate for the next two financial years, in particular for Connected Care, and that corrections could be made if necessary prior to the final submission. Tandra Forster advised that this was very much a live document and gave an assurance that the funding contributions would be accurate in the submitted plan.

Councillor Graham Jones added that the funding contributions table would be finalised as part of the delegated authority to approve the overall plan. It would then be published.

RESOLVED that the draft BCF Plan for 2017/19 be approved, with authority delegated to the Head of Adult Social Care, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, to approve the final plans for the BCF 2017/19.

Reason for the decision: to submit the BCF Plan for 2017/19 to NHS England by the required deadline.

Other options considered: N/A