Agenda item

The Board was advised that 11 different schemes had been identified within the Better Care Fund (BCF) draft plan which prioritised the frail and elderly.  The draft plan had been shared with partners and would be submitted to NHS England on 14 February 2014.  It was noted that the BCF provided the authority and its partners with an opportunity to shape services from a local perspective. 

It was noted that Healthwatch Hillingdon had submitted its views on local need but had not yet commented on the draft BCF plan. 

An additional Board meeting had been arranged for 2.30pm on Tuesday 1 April 2014 to enable Board members to sign off the final plan prior to submission on 4 April 2014.  The Board was advised that the plan would continually evolve even after the ‘final’ version had been submitted.

Although collaborative working had been incredibly useful in identifying issues and developing the draft plan, the BCF was not the only focus of joint working.  Partners were also working on issues such as mental health and that additional information relating to this (and other) work could be included over time. 

It was noted that one of the ‘National Conditions’ of the scheme related to  the provision of seven day health and social care services across the local health economy.  It was suggested that further articulation needed to be given to how the measures that were already in place at THH would benefit residents.  It was also noted that Hillingdon Hospital was an ‘early adopter’. 

Concern was expressed that the draft plan was not as ambitious as it could have been.  It was suggested that future consideration be given to the creation of a new delivery vehicle and to the pooling of budgets.  This approach would ensure that the Board not only delivered the service that the Government expected but that it also went much further to deliver more comprehensive services to residents.  The Board was assured that the draft plan was currently a high level document and that there was plenty of scope to develop more ambitious approaches. 

RESOLVED:  That:

1.            the Board agrees the vision and scope of the BCF plan as set out in Appendices 1 & 2 of the report, so that this can be submitted on its behalf to NHS England by 14 February 2014.  In particular, the Board notes that:

a)           the initial plan prioritises supporting frail elderly residents as the first target group under the BCF.

b)           the proposed plan is based on offering the minimum fund (of £17.991m in 2015/16) at this stage.

c)           the eleven schemes set out at paragraphs 4.8 to 4.23 (and in more detail in Appendices 1 & 2) provide the starting point to develop business cases and proposals for delivery under the plan.

d)           in addition to the mandatory indicators provided in the guidance and set out in detail in Appendices 1 & 2, Hillingdon sets a local indicator relating to shared care plans, all of which will support the financial reward element of the fund from 2015/16.     

2.      an additional meeting be scheduled for 1 April 2014 to enable to Board to agree the final plan for submission by 4 April 2014.