Agenda item

To receive an update in respect of the above.

The Head of Strategic Planning and Quality Assurance ASC Commissioning BCP Council presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book which provided an update on progress of the Better Care Fund (BCF) Plan for 2019/20 up until the end of February 2020, including information on the strategic themes and operational schemes and performance against the national BCF Metrics.

The Head of Strategic Planning and Quality Assurance reported on how service delivery had been adapted.  The report highlighted national targets which unfortunately were not being met.   The Board was informed that there had been a particularly difficult winter within hospital settings with an increase in adults going into care homes and with regard to delayed transfers of care winter funds were used to provide extra domiciliary care to aid discharge from hospital.

The report also set out budget issues, including the arrangements for extending existing BCF 75 agreements to include Covid 19 pooled expenditure as a national decision had been taken to provide free funding out of hospital for all patients requiring care and reablement on discharge from hospital.  This fund is being administered by CCGs and there is a national requirement to put in place a Section 75 agreement to govern this fund. It was proposed that authority be delegated to the Chair and Vice-Chairman to sign off the revised BCF 75 agreements.

The Head of Strategic Planning and Quality Assurance reported that a national programme of work was taking place led by NHS England to consider changes to the BCF from 2021 onwards. 

In response to a question from the Chairman the Head of Strategic Planning and Quality Assurance reported that there was national and local interest in the discharge to assess model whilst emphasising the need to understand the user experience and to take the opportunity to look at new models.

Sally Sandcraft, CCG reported that there has been a considerable amount of transformation with opportunities for learning and great partnership work in respect of new models of care and ways of working.  She acknowledged that there would be implications on how partners engaged with other sectors and used collective resources to enable that to happen.  Ms Sandcraft highlighted the need for complete packages of support in primary and community settings emphasising the work undertaken in providing wrap around support for care homes and moving forward with these achievements.

Jan Thurgood, Corporate Director endorsed the comments on the partnership working and the learning process from Covid 19.  She reported on the close working with the adult social care representatives of the sector and thanked the sector for the work undertaken by providers with statutory partners. She also highlighted the need to think about the shape of the ASC sector market going forward.

RESOLVED

(a)  That having considered the delivery of the plan and performance the report be noted.

(b)  That authority be delegated to the Chair and Vice-Chair for approval of the additions to the BCF Section 75 agreement in relation to the enhanced supply of out of hospital care and support services during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Voting – agreed