Agenda item

To discuss the Better Care Fund 2016-17. (15 mins)

James Burgess, Better Care Fund Programme Manager, presented the Better Care Fund Plan 2016-17 and displayed slides summarising the plan.

During discussion of this item the following points were made:

·       The key lines of enquiry that had not been met relating to Delayed Transfer of Care (DToC).

·       Overall the feedback from NHS England on the plan had been positive.  There would be some changes made in response to their feedback.

·       There would be a further briefing with the Chairman before the plan is submitted on 25 April.

·       Dr.Lise Llewellyn said that the first slide was a comprehensive summary.  However, the data on page 96 needed more explanation in the text.

·       The 2015/16 plan prioritised frail elderly whereas the latest information is that we need to bring in children’s services more.

·       A number of Board members questioned the need to circulate so much detailed information and asked for summary data on finances and a focus on the key points not being met.

·       Dr.Lise Llewellyn said that Non-Elective admissions (NELs) were increasing.  The CCG had agreed to review this and especially the increases with regard to children.

·       Clare Rebbeck asked if the increase might be due to unhealthy lifestyles and if the Council should look to prevention through education.

·       Andy Couldrick said he was surprised that the CCGs don’t already understand why NELs are increasing and asked when the review would be available?

·       Dr. Johan Zylstra commented that this change had only emerged in the last 3 to 6 months.  People were presumably presenting to A&E because they could not get the service they needed elsewhere.

·       Dr.Lise Llewellyn said that residents of new towns tended to use A&E more because they did not have the same support network as more settled residents.  This needed to be considered given the amount of new development coming in Wokingham.

·       Charlotte Haitham Taylor said that there was too little time to influence policy.

·       James Burgess stated that it had already been fed back that the deadlines set were too short for proper consultation.

·       Andy Couldrick said that there was a need to influence a shift in the landscape of behaviour in relation to the way people use services.

·       In relation to Board members’ comments that the reports on items were generally not presenting the Board with options to be discussed, the Chairman said that the Board had not sufficient support at the moment since the relevant staff member left and that this needed to be addressed.

RESOLVED:  That

1)    the content of Wokingham’s Better Care Fund Plan 2016-17 be noted and approved subject to the changes being made following NHS England’s assurance process and that the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board be authorised to give final authorisation for submission of the final plan before the 25th of April 2016; and

2)    the draft plan for 2017/18 be brought to the Board in six months to allow time to influence the draft.