Agenda item

Lynda Bowen to report

Partnership Agreement

Lynda Bowan presented a report outlining progress made on the development of the Section 75 (of the NHS Act 2006) Partnership Framework Agreement.

The Section 75 Agreement had established 2 pooled budgets with each authority hosting 1 fund (CCG - £13,245M and the Council - £10,071M).  A performance management programme had been developed which would allow a close focus on each of the 15 schemes.  The schemes had been mapped into 2 pools to allow similar services to explore opportunities for further integrated working and to collect and monitor data ensuring double counting was avoided.

A revised Terms of Reference for the Better Care Fund governance had been included within the Section 75 Agreement.  The existing governance had been updated to move on from the development of the plan into arrangements focussing on the implementation.  There would be a BCF Operational Group which would meet, review and interpret performance data and ensure targets were monitored and met.  A second group, the BCF Executive Group, would be the body which would have strategic oversight of the whole BCF plan.  Terms of Reference for each of the groups were set out in Schedule 2 of the Section 75 Agreement.

The model would ensure that there was maximum focus on reducing the number of non-elective admissions and, therefore, meet the pay for performance element of the Fund.  In 2015/16 £0.4M of the £23M BCF funding was paid only if Rotherham reduced its current rate of non-elective admissions.  The CCG and Council had agreed a risk fund, spread across the 2 pooled budgets, which would  be used to fund any shortfall due to targets being missed or unexpected overspends.  The risk pool would be overseen by the BCF Executive Group and attributed on a 50/50 basis.

There were no material changes in the workstreams.

It was a 1 year Agreement only should there be any further Guidance beyond 2015/16 as well as progress of the schemes.

The Board agreed that there had been a lot of good collaborative work to get to where it was now and a sound base for moving forward and developing services/improvements and achieving the goals desired for the people of Rotherham.  The challenge would be the “so what” test.

It was felt that there should be a 6 monthly review but in practice there may be individual reports on services due to developments that required reporting.

There were certain schemes where there were opportunities for commissioning and the Social Value Act would have full effect. 

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Better Care Fund Section 75 Agreement be approved in principle subject to minor amendments being signed off by Chris Edwards and Graeme Betts.

(2)  That the Interim Better Care Fund Executive and Operational Groups’ Terms of Reference, as outlined in Schedule 2 of the above Plan, be approved.

Operational Guidance

Lynda Bowan presented an update on the publication by NHS England “The Operationalisation of the Better Care Fund in 2015/16” and the implications for Health and Wellbeing Boards.

The Guidance set out NHSE’s expectations for how localities would measure, manage and report performance and the reporting timeframe.  It particularly clarified the pay for performance element of the Better Care Fund.

NHSE had developed a quarterly reporting template which included income and expenditure, payment for performance, the supporting metrics and the national conditions.  An annual report would also be required but as yet the draft format had not been devised.  The Guidance suggested that the reports were discussed and signed off by Health and Wellbeing Boards.

Quarterly reports were due as follows:-

-          29^th May, 2015 – for the period January to March, 2015

-          28^th August, 2015 – for the period April to June, 2015

-          27^th November, 2015 – for the period July to September, 2015

-          26^th February, 2016 – for the period October to December, 2015

-          27^th March, 2016 – for the period January to March, 2016

Resolved:-  (1)  That the NHSE document Better Care Fund: Guidance for the Operationalisation of the Better Care Fund in 2015/15, published on 26^th March, 2015, be noted.

(2)  That the requirement to send quarterly reports and an annual report to NHSE be noted.

(3)  That the Better Care Fund Operating Group consider the performance of schemes and be signed off by the Executive Group with any major strategic issues being submitted to the Board for consideration. 

(4)  That the suggested format for the Better Care Fund quarterly report be approved and officers develop an appropriate report format for Rotherham ensuring the NHSE requirements were fully met.

(5)  That the BCF Operational Executive be approved to sign off the first quarterly Better Care Fund return, due for submission to NHSE in May, 2015, and receive a report at the next Health and Wellbeing Board thereon.