Issue - meetings

The Health and Wellbeing Board will be asked to agree the apportionment of national funding for the Hospital Discharge Programme.

Jan Thurgood, Corporate Director presented the report on the hospital discharge programme 2021/22, a copy of which had been circulated and which appears as Appendix ‘E’ to these minutes in the Minute Book.

The Corporate Director explained that the report was to seek delegation to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Board in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adults to take any decisions that were required on funding for the Dorset Integrated Care System to support the Hospital Discharge Programme for the period April – September 2021. The Board was informed that since the pandemic all partners across the NHS, Councils and voluntary sector had been engaged in radically changing the way that they manage patients leaving hospital but ensuring that only those people that need to go into hospital were admitted.  The Corporate Directorate explained the changes to the hospital discharge process and reported that the aim was for patients to return home if appropriate but to ensure that they continue their care treatment and recovery in the right place. 

The Corporate Director reported that the Government had provided funding for various schemes.  She explained that capped funding was now being directed to Integrated Care Systems.  This had raised an issue in respect of how the capped sum was divided between different health and wellbeing areas.  The Corporate Director reported that it should be acknowledged that there may be issues on whether the capped sum would meet all the costs and if the model was sustainable.  The Board was informed that further guidance was awaited through the national adult social care routes.  The Corporate Director in response to a question confirmed that the cap applied to the £8.4m.

The Vice-Chairman supported the paper and felt that it was a pragmatic way in managing the issue going forward. He highlighted that the cap would be a challenge due to the level of spend.

The Chairman in providing assurance to Board Members reported that the Council has its own appropriate schemes of delegation.

RESOLVED that the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board (following discussions with the Cabinet Portfolio Holder and subject to Council and CCG governance processes) are given delegated authority to make relevant decisions on behalf of the Board related to Dorset Integrated Care System funding for the Hospital Discharge Programme for the period April to September 2021 if needed in advance of a report coming to the Board in October 2021.

Voting: Agreed