Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the County Council’s Director of Health and Care (Schedule 3 to the signed minutes) updating them on the operation of the NHS’s Better Care Fund (BCF) which aimed to support the integration of local health and care systems in a way that supported:- (i) person-centred care; (ii) sustainability and; (iii) better outcomes for people and carers.

The report was presented by the County Council’s Senior Commissioning Manager (Rosanne Cororan).

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Members were informed that In December 2020, NHS England (NHSE) had confirmed that BCF Plans were not required for 2020/21. However, systems were still expected to meet the following national conditions:- (i) Plans covering all mandatory funding contributions to be agreed by Health and Wellbeing Boards with minimum funding contributions included in a Section 75 Agreement under the NHS Act 2006; (ii) contribution to social care from Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are agreed and meet or exceed minimum expectation; (iii) expenditure on CCGs commissioned out of hospital services meets or exceeds the minimum expectation; (iv) local authorities and CCGs confirm compliance with the above conditions to their Health and Wellbeing Boards. They noted that all of the conditions had been met in Staffordshire and a Section 75 Agreement covering 2020/21 completed by the County Council and CCGs.

In addition, NHSE required an end of year report to be submitted which gave information on BCF expenditure normally included in the above-mentioned Plans. Members also noted that this report was currently being collated.

With regard to 2021/22, whilst the national Policy Framework and associated Planning Requirements had not yet been published by NHSE, the County Council’s and CCGs joint BCF Steering Group were to commence their initial planning in the expectation that existing schemes/projects would be extended with an appropriate adjustment made for inflation.

In the discussion which ensued the Chairman highlighted the County Council’s new Cabinet structure under which he was now Cabinet Support Member for Public Health and Integrated Care. This position did not carry with it executive authority on behalf of the Council. The Director of Health and Care commented that the BCF regulations required Plans to be approved by Health and Wellbeing Boards rather than Members or Officers of the County Council or CCGs. Therefore, the decision on the 2021/22 Plan could either be delegated to the Joint Chairmen or dealt with via correspondence with the wider Board Membership, as they considered appropriate. In reply the Chairman indicated that his preference would be the latter of these two options.

RESOLVED – (a) That the report be received and noted.

(b) That the completion of the Section 75 Agreement under the NHS Act 2006 by Staffordshire County Council and Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Groups relating to the 2020/21 Better Care Fund, be noted.

(c) That planning for the 2021/22 Better Care Fund be undertaken by the Better Care Fund Steering Group in advance of receipt of the 2021/22 national Policy Framework, be supported.

(d) That the likelihood of the 2021/22 Better Care Fund extending existing schemes with appropriate adjustments for inflation, be noted.

(e) That correspondence with Board Members be undertaken at the appropriate time seeking approval to the 2021/22 Better Care Fund Plan.

(f) That the passporting of the 2021/22 Disabled Facilities Grant to District and Borough Councils, as required by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, be noted.