Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Adult Social Care

Forward Plan Ref: 2014/012

Contact: Ben Threadgold, Strategy Performance Manager Tel: (01865) 328219

Report by Director for Social & Community Services (CA10).

The purpose of the report is to seek agreement on the proposed use of the Better Care Fund in Oxfordshire, prior to submission to NHS England (as an integral part of the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group’s Strategic and Operational Plans) by 4 April 2014. The plan has already been discussed by the Health and Wellbeing BOard on 13 March 2014, and will also be discussed by the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group on 27 March 2014.

The Better Care Fund will total approximately £37 million in Oxfordshire from 2015/16 onwards, and is not new money as it will be reallocated from within the health and social care system.    However, a significant proportion may be newly accessible to adult social care, and can be used to protect services where it can also be demonstrated that there are benefits to health.

Recommendations agreed.

Cabinet considered a report seeking agreement on the proposed use of the Better Care Fund in Oxfordshire, prior to submission to NHS England (as an integral part of the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group’s Strategic and Operational Plans) by 4 April 2014.

The Better Care Fund will total approximately £37 million in Oxfordshire from 2015/16 onwards, and is not new money as it will be reallocated from within the health and social care system. However, a significant proportion may be newly accessible to adult social care, and can be used to protect services where it can also be demonstrated that there are benefits to health.

Councillor Price, Shadow Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, commented that the Fund was not new money. She queried what action was planned if the performance measure on delayed transfer of care figures was not met.

Councillor Heathcoat agreed that it would take resource and put Adult Social care under pressure. The Adult Services improvement Plan was looking at the impact of the Extra Care Bill. There were mechanisms in place to monitor progress including by the Older People’s Joint Management Group and the Health and Wellbeing Board. The partnership approach with a single assessment process was a key to success. John Jackson added that the Local Government Association was lobbying Government to provide additional funding for the new responsibilities in the Bill. On delayed transfer of care, it was important to keep on it but there were signs of progress.

During discussion Cabinet stressed that they took the delayed transfer of care situation extremely seriously and were aware of the efforts that all involved had made.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)          Agree the Better Care Fund Plan for Oxfordshire for submission to NHS England by 4th April 2014, subject to the inclusion of any necessary changes which may be required following consideration by the Health and Wellbeing Board and Clinical Commissioning Group Governing Body as agreed by Chairman (Leader of the Council) and Vice Chairman (Clinical Chair of the Clinical Commissioning Group) of the Health and Wellbeing Board;

(b)          In so doing, to agree the use of the Health Transfer to Social Care Funding in 2014/15 as set out in the financial template, and for this to form the basis of a section 256 agreement between the County Council and NHS England as agreed by the Director for Social & Community Services following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Services; and

(c)          To receive an updated plan in March 2015 prior to implementation, reflecting performance in 2014/15 and any emerging pressures and priorities.