Agenda item

(a)  Better Care Fund Draft Plan 2017/19

(b)  Better Care Fund Quarter 3 Submission

Presented by Nathan Atkinson/Karen Smith, RMBC

(a)  Draft Plan 2017/19

Nathan Atkinson, Assistant Director of Strategic Commissioning (RMBC Adult Social Care), presented the draft version of the Better Care Fund Plan 2017-19 for information which incorporated feedback from the BCF Executive Group.

NHS England had requested a two year Better Care Fund plan covering the financial years 2017/18 and 2018/19. The intention was to “simplify the guidance and assurance process but plans are expected to be an evolution of the 2016/17 plan and not require significant rework”.

The number of National Conditions would be reduced to three from 2017/18:-

·           A requirement for a jointly agreed plan, approved by the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Rotherham - All minimum funding requirements had been achieved

·           Real terms maintenance of transfer of funding from Health to support Adult Social Care

Rotherham’s local plan was higher than the contribution required and there were no plans to reduce this.  It continued to fund several Social Care Services which were strategically relevant and performing well, including Social Workers supporting A&E, case management and supported discharge

·           Requirement to ring-fence a portion of the CCG minimum to invest in Out of Hospital services

In Rotherham there were three admission, prevention and supported discharge pathways all supported by the Better Care Fund and backed by the wider initiatives within Rotherham’s Integrated Health and Social Care Place Plan

Rotherham’s BCF plan sets out key schemes, and how each would be measured and managed.

It has been confirmed that when guidance was published, a template would be issued, but that the use of it would not be mandatory. The current version had been adapted to include the recently issued guidance regarding the narrative plan. Once issued, there would be a minimum of six weeks to complete and submit the plan to NHS England.

The key priorities for 2017-19 were:-

·           A single point of access into Health and Social Care Services  

·           Integrated Health and Social Care teams

·           Development of preventative services that supported independence

·           Reconfiguration of the Home Enabling Service and strengthening the seven day Social Work offer  

·           Consideration of a specialist reablement centre incorporating Intermediate Care 

·           A single Health and Social Care Plan for people with long term conditions

·           A joint approach to care home support

·           A shared approach to delayed transfers of care (DTOC)

Discussion took place on the importance of assisting individuals in the self-management of conditions, without necessarily having recourse to personal budgets.

Members of the Board were asked to contact Nathan Atkinson and Karen Smith (RMBC Adult Social Care) with any further comments they wished to make on the draft Plan.

Resolved:-(1) That the current iteration of the daft Better Care Fund Plan 2017-2019 and the strategic direction be noted.

(2) That the formal approval of the Better Care Fund Plan 2017-2019 shall be delegated to the Better Care Fund Executive Group of this Health and Wellbeing Board.

(b)  Better Care Fund Quarter 3 Submission (2016/17)

Nathan Atkinson, Assistant Director of Strategic Commissioning (RMBC Adult Social Care), presented the quarterly report to NHS England regarding the performance of Rotherham’s Better Care Fund in 2016/17.

 Rotherham was fully meeting seven out of the eight national conditions:-

1.    Plans were still jointly agreed between the Local Authority and the Clinical Commissioning Group.

2.    Maintaining provision of Social Care Services (not spending).

3.    A joint approach to assessments and care planning were taking place and, where funding was being used for integrated packages of care, there was an accountable professional.

4.    An agreement on the consequential impact of changes on the providers that were predicted to be substantially affected by the plans.

5.    Agreement to invest in NHS commissioned out-of-hospital services.

6.    Agreement on a local target for Delayed Transfers of Care (DTOC) and develop a joint local action plan.

7.    Seven day Social Care working was now in place and embedded at the hospital with on-site Social Care Assessment available to support patients.  This had become “business as usual” from 3^rd October, 2016, following the implementation of a Social care restructure.  Support over the full seven days was provided by the same core team, ensuring that there was consistency of process over this period.  Additional support over and above the dedicated resources identified could be accessed through the out of hours service on an as needed basis.

Rotherham was currently partly meeting one out of the eight national conditions which comprised of two elements as follows:-

a.  The first element (which was fully met) included better data sharing between Health and Social Care, based on the NHS Number (NHSN). This was being used as primary identifier for Health and Social Care Services   Work was now complete to ensure better sharing between Health and Social Care. There were 5,495 adults who were in the scope of the NHSN matching project and all BCF records now had a NHS number assigned. The new Social Care system would go "live" on 13th December, 2016, and included the facility to integrate with the NHS ‘Patient Demographic Service’ (PDS) – which would deliver the ability to quickly look up NHS numbers on the NHS spine. The NHSN number would be used on correspondence when the new Liquidlogic system was "live". 

b.  The second element (which was partly met) was around better data sharing including whether we ensure that patients/service users have clarity about how data about them is used, who may have access and how they can exercise their legal rights.  This second element of the national condition has recently been introduced since August 2016.

Significant progress was underway with an expected full implementation date of 31st May, 2017, to ensure that it fully met the national condition.  The original date for full implementation was 31^st January, 2017.  The reasons behind the delay were set out in the report submitted.

A series of individual "deep dive" service reviews on BCF schemes was underway which would identify if there were any funding or performance issues or where there were concerns regarding strategic relevance. 

Resolved:- (1) That the Better Care Fund Quarter 3 Submission (2016/17), as now submitted, be approved.

(2) That further information be provided for members of the Health and Wellbeing Board about data sharing between health and social care services.