Agenda item - Better Care Plan

Report of the Chief Operating Officer of the Clinical Commissioning Group (copy attached).

75.1.        The Chair noted that the Better Care Fund was due to be considered for approval by the Better Care Board on the 21^st July and would then have come to the Health & Wellbeing Board for final sign-off.  Unfortunately the timings of the two meetings and the requirement for the Better Care Fund to be approved and submitted by the 6^th May 2016 meant that the report had to come to the Health & Wellbeing Board first.  He therefore hoped that the Board would be supportive and agree to the Fund being approved in principle and for the Better Care Board to approve the submission of the Better Care Plan and associated pooled budget arrangements.

75.2.        The Chief Operating Officer for the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), introduced the report and noted that the Board had already approved the Plan and associated pooled budget arrangements at a previous meeting.  The report outlined the final version for submission which clearly outlined the joint working between the local authority and the CCG and showed how resilience and pro-active action was being taken to meet the financial challenges that were being faced.  He also noted the joint working with the voluntary sector and multi-disciplinary approach that was being taken to address needs.

75.3.        The Head of Financial Services referred to the overall budgetary position and noted that both the City Council and the CCG had made contingencies within their respective budgets for any savings that may not be achieved and additional pressures that may result.  He also noted that the Better Care Programme Board regularly reviewed the budget position and would report to the Health & Wellbeing Board as necessary.

75.4.        Fran McCabe welcomed the report and noted that a lot of work had gone into developing the Plan and raised some points in regard to whether there would be any sanctions if performance targets were not met.  She also queried how the new governance structure would look and suggested that more information would be helpful in regard to the outcomes that were highlighted and how the Plan related to other plans such as the CCG Operating Plan and Workforce Strategy.

75.5.        The Chief Operating Officer stated that the Better Care Board was the responsible body for considering all the plans and ensuring that they were taken into consideration and reflected in the Annual Operating Plan.  He also noted that the System Resilience Group reported to the Better Care Board and was responsible for ensuring that the Plan was implemented and how it delivered.

75.6.        Pennie Ford noted that the process for submission of the Better Care Plan, provided for feedback to the CCG from NHS England in order for the final submission to be revised and ensure it was able to sign-post how challenges would be met and related to other plans.

75.7.        George Mack stated that he had previously suggested that quarterly or half-yearly highlight reports should be brought to the Health & Wellbeing Board on this area and asked that this be incorporated into the Board’s work plan.

75.8.        The Chair noted the comments and agreed that greater clarity was needed in terms of the oversight of the Plan and the role of the Better Care Board.

75.9.        The Statutory Director for Adult Services stated that it would be possible to bring highlight reports on specific areas of the Plan to the Board on a quarterly basis with a half-yearly update on the overall Plan.

75.10.     RESOLVED:

(1)          That the Better Care Plan for 2016/17 and pooled fund be approved;

(2)          That the achievements made during 2015/16 be noted;

(3)          That the proposed changes to the pooled fund hosting arrangements be approved.