The Board was asked to consider the work on the integration, or pooling NHS and Local Authority budgets to create a seamless service for the general public. The Board considered (1) the BCF planning process for 2023/25 and the BCF Plan in advance of submission on the 23^rd of June 2023; (2) the need to have a retrospective sign off of the BCF Plan at the next meeting of the Board; (3) if any additional services areas could be included in the second year of the BCF Plan (2024/25). An abbreviated discussion of the prime topics discussed is as follows:

The Board:

v  Noted that the Better Care fund is now into its 8 year and the intent of the programme is to integrate, or pool existing NHS and Local Authority budgets to create a seamless service for the general public and providing the possibility of designing and delivering multi-agency services.

v  Noted that by enjoining services together the partners can create more seamless and better coordinated service experiences for residents (e.g., Producing multi professional teams that share expertise and resources and to create savings and efficiencies from sharing back-office functions).

v  Noted that the purpose of this report is to primarily develop a joint health, social care and housing services offer to help older people and those with complex needs and disabilities to live at home for longer.

v  Noted that a minimum of £7.2 billion nationally has already been committed to the BCF this year to enable people to stay well, safe, and independent at home and get the care they need, when they need it by funding things like adaptations to homes for disabled people and rehabilitating people back into their communities after a spell in hospital.

v  Noted that there is also the requirement to have joint monitoring, performance, and outcomes of anything which is funded through the Better Care Fund, which (i) provides a better statistical picture of local needs and any potential gaps in services; (ii) reduces the possibility of duplication of services between local NHS and local authority services.

v  Noted that to receive BCF funding, a local BCF Plan and programme needs to be agreed jointly by the council and the ICB, endorsed by the Health and Well-Being Board (HWBB) and finally approved by NHS England (NHSE). The jointly agreed programme then needs to be incorporated into a formal agreement under Section 75 of the NHS Act 2006. BCF plans set out the local joint vision for, and approach to, integration, including how the activity in the BCF plan will complement the direction set in the NHS Long Term Plan and are also expected to take into account the wider context, including the development of Integrated Care Systems; the requirements of the Care Act, 2014, and wider local government transformation in the area covered by the plan - for example, programmes, such as Integrated Personal Commissioning.

v  Noted that the Health and Wellbeing Board is required to approve Borough plans and due to the late issuing of guidance and scheduling of Health and Wellbeing Boards this year means Members are being invited to approve a backdated agreement.

v  Noted that the Health and Wellbeing Board has a statutory duty to approve local Better Care Fund Plans as set out in the national planning requirements. However, due to the late issuing of the National Planning Guidance and the deadline for submission of BCF Plans is the 23rd of June. The Board would have missed its opportunity to submit the 2023/25 plan.

v  Noted an overview of the timetable for the development and approval of the BCF Plan 2023-2025 in detailed in the table attached at Appendix A including the sign off process with the Council Chief Executive, Health, and Well-Being Board (HWBB) Chair and the Integrated Care Board (ICB) Chair.

v  Noted that whilst the sign off will need to be done retrospectively due to the required time line. Board members will be given the opportunity to input and comment remotely prior to the plan’s submission (e.g., Members might want to put the whole of Community health services budgets into the Better Care Fund together with the totality of mental health and learning disability services?).

v  Noted that there would also be an opportunity at the end of the first year to refresh and change the plan as the Board is not obliged to give fine detail of the second year of the two-year plan in the initial submission.

In conclusion the Health and Wellbeing Board resolved to:

1. Retrospectively sign off of the Better Care Fund Plan at the next meeting; and
2. Give consideration of additional services areas the Board may wish to include in the second year of the Better Care Fund Plan.