Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Integrated Adult Social Care Commissioning (Interim).

The Board received the Update Report of the Head of Integrated Adult Social Care Commissioning (Interim) on the Better Care Fund, covering latest performance.

The Better Care Fund (BCF) was the mandatory policy to facilitate integration between Health and Social Care, providing a framework for joint planning and commissioning. The BCF brought together ring-fenced budgets from NHS allocations, ring-fenced BCF grants from Government, the Disabled Facilities Grant and voluntary contributions from local government budgets.  The Health and Wellbeing Board had oversight of the BCF and was accountable for its delivery.

The Report:

·         Provided an update on BCF planning requirements for 2022/23

·         Summarised the planning requirements submitted in respect of the Adult Social Care (ASC) Discharge Fund

·         Provided an update on progress on both the main planning requirements and ASC Discharge Fund

·         Provided a case study for information, on the Community Catalysts scheme, funded by the BCF in Devon.

Discussion and questions covered:

·         Residential Admissions – eligibility assessments were carried out to determine funding.

·         Workforce continued to be a key challenge across the care sector, with a lot of work going on with NHS colleagues, for example on salary benchmarking, overseas recruitment, branding, care sector apprenticeships etc.

·         The care sector continued to face significant challenges, and a longer term sustainable funding solution was required to enable long term planning.

·         Hospital discharge arrangements were discussed, the increase in market demand, and the work to help people stay independent.

RESOLVED that the Board note the progress on the BCF in 2022/23 and endorses the plan for the use of the Adult Social Care Discharge Fund in 2022/23.