Issue - meetings

This report provides an overview of the End of Year Report of the Better Care Fund (BCF) for 2024-25.

The BCF is a key delivery vehicle in providing person centred integrated care with health, social care, housing, and other public services, which is fundamental to having a strong and sustainable integrated Heath and Care System. 

The report is a part of the requirements set by the Better Care Fund 2023-25 Policy Framework. The report needs to be jointly agreed and signed off by the Health and Wellbeing Board as an element of the planning requirements.

The Commissioning Manager and Senior Lead - Operations, NHS Dorset, presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

NHS England (NHSE) required the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) to approve all BCF plans, this was one of the national conditions within the Policy Framework. This included planning documents at the beginning of a funding period, and template returns reporting progress against the plans quarterly.

The report provided an overview of the End of Year Report of the Better Care Fund (BCF) for 2024-25.

The BCF was a key delivery vehicle in providing person centred integrated care with health, social care, housing, and other public services, which was fundamental to having a strong and sustainable integrated Heath and Care System. 

The report was a part of the requirements set by the Better Care Fund 2023-25 Policy Framework. The report needed to be jointly agreed and signed off by the Health and Wellbeing Board as an element of the planning requirements.

The Board discussed the report and in response to queries, was advised that:

• Small, non-clinical interventions, such as addressing hoarding, could significantly improve hospital discharge outcomes and patient safety at home.
• Hoarding had emerged as a key barrier to safe discharge, prompting the formation of a new working group to address the issue collaboratively.
• Real-life examples, such as the impact of the Disabled Facilities Grant, demonstrated how targeted support could enhance independence and reduce reliance on care packages or residential care.
• While delays in hospital discharge had occurred, responsive action had been taken to reallocate resources and implement care packages swiftly once referrals were made.
• The Future Care Programme was critical to ensuring system-wide efficiency and continuity, particularly during periods of structural change within the Integrated Care Board.
• Maintaining focus on strategic transformation programmes, such as Future Care, was essential to sustaining effective hospital discharge and admission avoidance.
• Emergency hospital admissions due to falls remained off-track, and a commitment was made to investigate this further in the context of ongoing transformation and prevention strategies.
• NHS Dorset was developing Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) with a focus on falls prevention, including strength workshops for at-risk individuals.
• The Future Care Programme included a workstream on alternatives to admission, aiming to support patients at the hospital front door or post-assessment with community-based care options.

RESOLVED that the Health and Wellbeing Board approve the Better Care Fund 2024-25 End of Year Report.

Voting: Nem. Con.