Issue - meetings

verbal update

(letter attached from NHS England)

(9.45 a.m.)

Chris Edwards reported that the final submission had been due to be made to NHS England.  However, NHS England had requested that the 10 exemplar areas test out the system which would then be rolled out to the remaining 200.

Rotherham had been selected as of the exemplar areas as its plan was judged to be 1 of the most developed plans and fit for purpose.

The new submission date for the return was now 9^th July, 2014.

Discussions had taken place and it was felt the deadline would be achievable with the return being submitted to the August Board meeting.

A telephone conference call to the 10 areas was taking place that morning.

Rotherham had no option but to conform to this request.

Naveen Judah reported that from a national point of view, it seemed that a number of plans submitted were not considered realistic or achievable.

It was noted that the requirement for further work would place a burden on the resources of Adult Social Care who were currently working on the significant changes brought about by the Care Act and the Local Authority’s budget process.

Chris Edwards stated that no additional work was required and the return would have to have been made but was now to a different timescale and on a different template.

The Chairman stated that no decision would be made until the results of the telephone conference was reported to the next Board meeting.

Tom Cray, Strategic Director, Neighbourhoods and Adult Services, and Chris Edwards, Chief Officer, Rotherham CCG, gave a verbal update on the position with regard to the above.

-          The plan had been submitted in accordance with the 14^th February deadline which had met the criteria at that time and would act as a catalyst for change that both the Local Authority and CCG were comfortable with

-          Feedback from NHS England and the Peer Review had been received in March in relation to the national conditions, performance measures and ambition.  The plan had also been the subject of an all Members Seminar and the Health Select Commission

-          The plan had a number of “green” with the majority being “amber” which meant that NHS England felt there was the capacity to develop the plan further in order to satisfy all the conditions by the 4^th April deadline

-          The Task Group and Officer Group had continued to ensure that the final submission was solid and robust and an ambitious plan

-          As a result of the feedback it was felt that it needed to be more explicit in terms of the whole system change that the plan was seeking to achieve.  Accordingly, adjustments had been made so as to emphasise how the change at one end of the system would flow through to the other end concentrating on the citizen experience  through an integrated approach

-          Work was still continuing on the plan with adjustments made to the funding profile and a risk assessment being carried out to ensure there were no unintended consequences anywhere in the system

-          All the projects contained within the plan were in synch and fitted with the commissioning plans of both the Council and CCG

-          It has been quite a difficult process because of the timescales involved and the national messages been different from the Department of Health and Department of Communities and Local Government

-          The Task Group had committed to continuing to meet to ensure that the plan was delivering and take action should any unanticipated issue emerge

-          There would be a chance to review the plan in 12 months

-          Given the short timescale the CCG had taken the decision to include the minimum of services to establish the principles of the Fund but were committed to having further discussions as to the appropriateness of including more services

Brian Hughes stated that the feedback from NHS England recognised that the plan was a catalyst for change and there was a level of transformation.  The plan now needed to show how it had moved from the February submission to the April submission as to how that transformation and citizen empowerment would happen.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Task Group be authorised to submit the Better Care Fund submission to NHS England.

(2)  That a copy of the submission be submitted to the April Board meeting.