Agenda and minutes

The Chair reminded members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting.

Mr David Wray, representative of the Third Sector, declared a personal interest in Item 4 – Better Care Fund, as he attends the Wanborough Surgery in a personal capacity.

Please refer to the explanatory notes below.

No public questions were received prior to or during the meeting.

The purpose of this item is to discuss with members of the Health and Wellbeing Board the update to the financial information for the 2014/15 transfer of resources from NHS England to Swindon Borough Council Adult Social Care prior to the start of the Better Care Fund 2015/16. Members will be asked to discuss and agree the re-submission of the Better Care Fund to NHS England for 2015/16. Final details of the financial plan which has been agreed with Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group Governing Board, and final details of the new Better Care Fund Plan and finance templates based on new guidance issued by NHS England on 25 July 2014, will be published and circulated as a supplementary report once available.

The Board received a report regarding an update to the financial information for the 2014/15 transfer of resources from NHS England to Swindon Borough Council Adult Social Care prior to the start of the Better Care Fund 2015-16. The Board is also being asked to discuss and agree the re-submission of the Better Care Fund to NHS England for 2015/16.

Sue Wald, Head of Commissioning – Children and Adults, introduced the report and noted that the first submission of the Plan had been in April 2014. On the 25 July, new guidance and templates had been issued that require a re-submission. There has been a change to the way that the Better Care Fund is focussed, and the payment by result section now only applies to reducing emergency hospital admissions by 3.5% in 2015/16. There is also focus on funding to implement the Care Act with the potential increase in care packages that may come about as a result for example.

Board members were asked to note the new financial information relating to the re-submission, including the £3.5m transfer from the NHS to the local authority in 2014/15, and the £8.2m Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) funding. It is also now being suggested that additional voluntary sector funding is included in the Better Care Fund. The main changes to the submission have been in sections 3, 4 and 5 and section 7 has been strengthened. Members also noted that the schemes selected within the appendix to the Plan focus on hospital admissions, including earlier discharge or avoiding admissions initially. It was also noted that the total allocation of funding from represents around 3% of the CCG budget and other resources within the CCG budget also target reducing hospital admissions.

Ms Wald highlighted to members that at a recent meeting with NHS consultants to discuss the re-submission, they had indicated that the ‘Vision’ section of the bid required strengthening to include actual data. They also suggested that aspects on integration within section 3 should be moved into the ‘Vision’ section. The Swindon bid has been scored as low risk though due to agreement having already been achieved by partners. The revised bid will be re-submitted on 19 September when it will be checked by independent consultants.

Ms Wald also reported that the draft plan had been discussed and agreed with GWH and SEQOL. After the presentation of the report, the Better Care Fund Plan and the financial and activity plan, Board members asked questions and made observations on the following issues:

·        It was noted that any errors noted within the bid, such as typing errors or incorrect data, should be fed back to Sue Wald before the 19 September 2014.

·        It was queried if instances where other local authorities had an involvement in the Swindon area would be contained within the Plan, such as the investment by Wiltshire County Council in the surgery at Wanborough. It was noted that Wiltshire County Council invests in secondary care in Wanborough so it is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.