Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the Chief Officer, NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group and the Executive Director Communities, Sheffield City Council. The report sought approval to Sheffield’s 2016/17 Draft Better Care Fund Submission and the delegation of final approval of the Better Care Fund submission to the lead executive officers in the Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group. The draft submission for Sheffield’s Better Care Fund 2016/17 was appended to the report. Peter Moore, NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group/Sheffield City Council, presented the report.

The Board was asked to consider the following questions:

·         Is the Health and Wellbeing Board satisfied that these plans will help to progress the Board’s ambition to transform the health and care landscape, reduce health inequalities and deliver better outcomes for Sheffield people?

·         Where might there be further opportunities for integration and joint working?

Members of the Board asked questions and made comments, as summarised below:-

In the plans for the second year of the Better Care Fund, the report indicated that the planned pooled budget of £282m included current expenditure on four areas of need, focusing on those at risk of hospital admission and those for whom there is the greatest opportunity for health outcomes improvement.  It was questioned whether attention was also being given to long term conditions and in response, the Board was informed that in relation to long term conditions, helping people with such conditions to maintain their health was important. A doctor’s job was to see to people who were ill and dealing with those with long term conditions was a relatively new addition, which required a realignment of structures. There was a 20 year gap in people keeping well between people in the most and least deprived sections of the population. It was important that the ongoing care (which was one of four key areas in 2016/17) was provided to those with long term conditions.

Whilst adults were the main focus of the Better Care Fund, there was also an earlier indication that children and young people would be considered. For example, the target of reducing emergency admissions was focussed only on adults. In response it was agreed that this was a fair challenge, which should be given further consideration. A joined-up approach was required for a number of areas and it was important to make sure there was prevention activity at an early stage. A children’s delivery board was to be established. There had also been discussion regarding the integration of activity relating to the Better Care Fund and children’s services, especially with regard to the development of services in neighbourhoods. However, it was acknowledged that, at present, children and young people were an omission in relation to the Better Care Fund submission.

Other observations were made including that the ‘need’ statement did not follow through on actions and there was not an evaluation regarding outcomes; and that the Better Care Fund did not actually represent new money, although it was not the only financial resource for health and social care.

A question was asked as to whether health assessments were available for young people.

It was acknowledged that there were organisational, professional and cultural boundaries and some matters were affected by such boundaries. A flexible workforce was needed.

A question was asked as to whether there had been high level discussion regarding the Better Care Fund which had included the Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families.

RESOLVED: That the Health and Wellbeing Board:

1.    Formally approves these plans;

2.    Delegates final approval of the Better Care Fund submission to the lead executive officers in the Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG); and

3.    Receives an update on progress at its September 2016 public meeting.