Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Public Health & the Voluntary Sector

Forward Plan Ref: 2015/040

Contact: Val Messenger, Deputy Director of Public Health Tel: (01865) 328660/Clare Dodwell, Health Improvement Principal Tel: (01865) 815162

Report by Director of Public Health (CA8).

A ministerial announcement on 29 January 2014 confirmed that the responsibility for the commissioning of some elements of the 0-5 Healthy Child Programme (HCP), as defined under the Section 7A agreement and GP contract 2006 NHS Act, is transferring out of NHS England to Local Authorities on 01 October 2015.

The commissioning responsibilities moving from NHS England to Local Authorities are

•Health visiting services (universal and targeted services)

•Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) programmes (targeted service for first time teenage mothers)

This nationally mandated service is currently commissioned by NHS England and Provided through Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. The current contract runs until 31 March 2017.

The public health grant for 2015/16 has been increased to take account of the transfer of these responsibilities. From 2016/17 onwards, the 0-5 baseline will be added to existing public health grant allocations to local government to form an overall public health grant allocation including 0-5 services. As with current public health grant allocations, areas will be brought towards their fair share allocations through the existing process.

In line with National guidance we are securing the safe transfer of these commissioning responsibilities, and maintenance of a transformed and expanded service, through  contractual stability in 2015/16 and 2016/17. The preferred approach to deliver this is through contract novation.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to ratify the approach being taken to novate the Health Visiting contract in line with the transfer of commissioning responsibility for 0-5 public health services to local authorities from the 1st October 2015.

Recommendation agreed.

A ministerial announcement on 29 January 2014 confirmed that the responsibility for the commissioning of some elements of the 0-5 Healthy Child Programme (HCP) (including health visiting), are transferring out of NHS England to Local Authorities on 01 October 2015.

Cabinet considered a reportseeking ratification of the approach being taken to novate the Health Visiting contract in line with the transfer of commissioning responsibility for 0-5 public health services to local authorities from the 1st October 2015.

RESOLVED:             to ratify the approach being taken to novate the Health Visiting contract in line with the transfer of commissioning responsibility for 0-5 public health services to local authorities from the 1st October 2015.