Agenda item

-        Tom Cray, Strategic Director NAS and Kate Green, Policy Officer

Tom Cray, Strategic Director, Housing and Neighbourhood Services, and Kate Green, Policy Officer, presented a report which provided a brief overview of the process undertaken to date, NHS England feedback and how the plan would now be implemented.

Discussion ensued with attention drawn to the following:-

-          The Risk Register and a summary of each of the schemes which made up the programme were attached to the report

-          The new Care Bill was ranked as a “red” risk as the final detail was awaited.  Once known, the detail would have to be evaluated to ensure no deviation from what the intended funding outcomes

-          14 schemes – 4 have recently been introduced

-          Original plan was RAG rated by the DoE, NHS England and Peer Review and reasonably well received with no red indicators but 7 amber indicators

-          Subsequent submission in April addressed the issues highlighted as part of the Peer Review.  A multi-agency officer group and a Health and Wellbeing Board task group established.  It had now been approved

-          There had recently been unsubstantiated information from the Department of Health regarding concerns at a national level about whether the plans were deliverable at a national level and a commissioning point of view and whether would be an adverse effect on a number of hospital trusts across the country.  The Kings Fund had made comments about the concept of the BCF nationally.  There had been  denials by the DoH about the leaks but a letter has been sent to the CCG asking them to review the plan particularly because of the financial aspects of the plan and the potential effects on hospitals.  The Local Authority was awaiting as to how the CCG would carry out a review and report to the HWBB

-          There had been ongoing discussions with the CCG regarding the financial deliverability.  It was not just a transfer of NHS services to the Local Authority but the accompanying resources as well 

-          The BCF had forced the CCG to be more open about their own 5 year plans and given the opportunity to look at how they impacted on the Local Authority plans and jointly meet the demographic pressures and the rising expectations of citizens.  It had also demonstrated that some of the CCG plans had unintended consequences, estimated to be £5M. Negotiations had focussed on how the CCG “swopped” the funding they had already received in light of them already having a plan agreed by the DoH

-          A further concern which had been leaked to a national newspaper was how the targets affected the business plans of the hospitals.  The letter received by the CCG had requested that they be certain that the provider understood the impact of the plans and that the plans had been properly catered for

-          It had been emphasised that the CCG must ensure that a wholesystem approach be taken for any projects so as to avoid the transfer of cost/responsibility somewhere else in the system and to consider the potential effect of efficiencies on outcomes for patients or citizens

-          The plan consisted of a series of projects where it was felt the most progress/difference could be made to the citizens of Rotherham within the timescale

-          A pilot was to be developed that would enable the sharing of patient information amongst professionals with the appropriate consensus from the individuals concerned

-          There had been mixed messages coming from the 2 Governmental Departments of Health and Communities and Local Government with regard to resources and their transfer as well as recognition that it would cause some tension.  This had been the case in some parts of the country. The majority of authorities in Yorkshire and the Humber region had taken the same approach as Rotherham

-          There was a need for more work to be done on reducing admissions to hospital particularly around falls prevention with care homes.  They had equally been affected by the tightening of resources and a partnership approach was required

-          The plan did not come into effect until April, 2015, but was currently in a pilot learning year

Resolved:-  (1)  That the final plan submitted to deliver the Better Care Fund report be noted.

(2)  That the Select Commission monitor the plan at 3 monthly intervals.

(3)  That consideration be given to inviting the project leads to report on their projects.