Issue - meetings

The Board is asked to consider the Better Care Fund Plan for 2019/20.

11am – 25 minutes - Lesley Hutchinson/Becky Paillin

The Chair invited Rebecca Paillin (Strategic Business Partner Joint Commissioning) to introduce the report.

Rebecca Paillin took the Board through the report by highlighting that the recommendations have contributed to the Health and Wellbeing Board’s aims including delivery of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy, such as:

•  An increased emphasis on prevention, early intervention and empowering individuals to be more independent including the use of adaptions and technology to support independent living;

•  A further shift of investment from acute and specialist health services to support investment in community-focused provision; and

•  Exploration by commissioners and providers of new approaches to sharing resources, including knowledge and expertise, where there are demonstrable benefits in doing so.

The Chair welcomed the document by saying that it has recognised the opportunity for partner engagement, and that some of those partners were sitting on the Health and Wellbeing Board. 

Nicola Hazle commented that there has been a significant rise in older adult population and that this was an area that the Board should focus more on as one of the issues was a significant impact on carers due to an increase of older adult population.

The Chair agreed with that comment and added that there has been an increase in demand for services for older population, and that demand for those services would be on increase in ten years’ time.

Rebecca Paillin responded that that was something that officers had monitored for the last three years.  One of the initiatives that were set up was Dementia Pathway which was relevant to that particular age group.

Paul Harris commented that one of the things that Curo has been proactive about was for people to live independently in their housing units so they can cut the need of going to care facilities.  Paul Harris asked if the consultation on the Better Care Fund involved external stakeholders.

Rebecca Paillin responded that there had been quite a lot of internal stakeholders’ engagement in the process, although it would be even better communicating external stakeholders and asked Paul Harris if he could make any suggestions.  Paul Harris responded that he would be happy to suggest external stakeholders.

Mike Bowden commented that this was a massive piece of work which was required in order to comply with the relevant legislative act.  The Better Care Fund document has presented in detail a massive list of schemes and initiatives conducted to support and promote the independent living in order to shift a weight of pressure on the system.

Corinne Edwards thanked the officers for the collaborative work in creating the Better Care Fund Plan for 2019-2020 and agreed that one of the main pressures was with the care of older people.

Bruce Laurence also praised the hard work of all involved in the creation of the Better Care Fund Plan and added that one of the major challenges would be around workforce, and asked if there were any schemes addressing the issues of the workforce.

Corinne Edwards agreed with Bruce Laurence  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51