Agenda item

4:10

The Better Care Fund planning round for 2021/22 commenced on 30 September for submission 16 November. Given the brevity of the planning and submission cycle for 2021/22 the national conditions allow for the plan to be submitted by the deadline and ratified at the next available meeting of the Health & Wellbeing Board.

The Health & Wellbeing Board is RECOMMENDED to

a)            Approve the Oxfordshire Better Care Fund Plan for 2021/22

b)           Approve the planned investment and schemes designed to deliver the metrics within the Plan

c)            Approve the proposed trajectories for the metrics as set out in the Plan

The Better Care Fund planning round for 2021/22 commenced on 30 September for submission 16 November. Given the brevity of the planning and submission cycle for 2021/22 the national conditions allowed for the plan to be submitted by the deadline and ratified at the next available meeting of the Health & Wellbeing Board.

Ian Bottomley, Lead Commissioner for Age Well Support, Oxfordshire County Council, summarised the report.  The NHS regional team had recommended acceptance of this plan to their national team.

The proposed investment was set out in paragraphs 14 and 15 of the report.  It exceeded the minimum requirement by £8m.  Some new metrics have been introduced to reflect the move away from Delayed Transfers of Care to a focus on long length of hospital stay (whether or not due to delay).  The national target is to have 95% discharged to home.  Oxfordshire’s current performance is 91% and it has been agreed with the national team to set a target of 93% for 2021/22.

There was insufficient time this year for public engagement on the Fund but there was a clear expectation that this would happen in future years.  It was acknowledged that schemes aimed at reducing health inequalities had not been a key planning assumption but these were being prioritised this year.

Professor Jonathan Montgomery added that Oxford Health was doing a lot of work on those schemes aimed at reducing inequalities and Oxford University Hospitals were supporting them in that.  He was pleased that this was happening but concerned that we should be able to demonstrate what was being achieved.

Diane Hedges noted that one of the new metrics indicated that we were not doing well on ambulatory sensitive conditions with too many people having to go to hospital for treatment that could be delivered in their own home.  She offered to examine that and come back with a better understanding of the issues.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby welcomed the Plan adding that decisions on allocating the funds were made after real discussion in the partnership and the funds enabled us to ensure that people were Home First and Living Well.

The Chair explained that the Board was unable to formally approve the Plan as they were meeting virtually.  However, it was agreed to note the Plan.