Agenda item

From 1^st October local authorities will take over responsibility for commissioning 0-5 services (Health Visiting and Family Nurse Partnership) from NHS England. This report provides the Select Committee with details of the transition plan.

The Assistant Director of Health Improvement and the Public Health Development and Commissioning Manager gave a presentation to the Select Committee regarding this item. A copy of the presentation will be available online as an appendix to these minutes and a summary is set out below.

·  From 1^st October local authorities will take over responsibility for commissioning 0-5 services (Health Visiting and Family Nurse Partnership) from NHS England.

·  A 0-5 Transition Board has been planning for and overseeing the  handover to ensure a smooth transition and has in place  a risk assessment to identify and mitigate any risks associated with this transfer. The provider (Sirona Care and Health) have an agreed transition plan in place and are ready to safely manage the shift from “registered” to “resident” population.

·  The contract and the novation agreement have been signed and the Public Health commissioning team are fully prepared to take on their contractual responsibilities and report on the mandatory elements within the core Health Visiting service and aspire towards continuous service improvement, in partnership with other Children’s Services commissioners.

Transition Issues

·  Contractual status / Your Care Your Way

·  18 Month Stability Period

·  Ring fenced public health budget

    £7.183 million plus additional estimated

£2.774 million per year for HV and FNP (including commissioning costs)

·  Savings review

National Health Visiting Core Specification

·  Delivery of the Healthy Child Programme;

·  Assessment and intervention when a need is identified; and

·  On-going work with children and families with multiple, complex or safeguarding needs in partnership with other key services including early years, children’s social care and primary care. 

·  5 mandated touch points

·  6 high impact areas

Transforming the service

The transformed service is described as the 4-5-6 model. Health Visitors and family nurses deliver this service and are a vital link between primary care and early years.

4 Levels of Service

Your community

Universal

Universal plus

Universal partnership plus

5 Universal Health Reviews

Antenatal health promoting visits;

New baby review;

6-8 week assessment.

3-4 month visit (local additional offer)

1 year assessment (9-12mths)

2-2½ review

6 High Impact Areas

Transition to parenthood

Maternal mental health

Breastfeeding

Healthy weight / nutrition and physical activity

Minor illness and accidents

Health and wellbeing / development

Family Nurse Partnership

This service is provided to 69 young families and will give support to them until the child is 2 ½ years old.

0-5 Sector Led Improvement

Aims to: 

·  Share learning and develop practice for 0-5 year old services both within and outside of the council including developing leadership to:

·  Embed family-centred approaches to improve outcomes

·  Implement evidence based practice to improve 0-5 and family outcomes

·  Transform and integrate 0-5 and 5-19 services

·  Evaluate early years’ service improvement

Councillor Bryan Organ said that he was pleased that transition arrangements were now a priority.

The Director of Adult Care and Health Commissioning replied that transition planning had hugely improved under the Joint Commissioning Manager for Learning Disabilities.

Councillor Paul May asked if the staff involved saw the transfer as an advantage.

The Public Health Development and Commissioning Manager replied that the majority were very happy as it provided more opportunities to work with parents.

Councillor Paul May asked if safeguarding was integrated across the service.

The Director of Adult Care and Health Commissioning replied that the Head of Safeguarding & Quality Assurance does work closely with the Director of Nursing.

Councillor Tim Ball commented that this needs to be a seamless transfer from the point of view of the families and asked how this has been explained to them and is there a central contact point.

The Assistant Director of Health Improvement replied that Sirona have led on this work and have developed individual transition plans. She said that it was the role of the Health Visitor to communicate the changes.

Councillor Tim Ball said that some people may not engage with their Health Visitor and he asked to be assured that this is recorded and acted upon.

The Assistant Director of Health Improvement replied that the Family Nurse Partnership has a never give up policy and will always look to build relationships. She said that Health Visitors will also endeavour to carry out their required checks.

Councillor Lin Patterson asked how many families will be affected by the transfer.

The Assistant Director of Health Improvement replied that 637 families were involved with 562 transferring out of B&NES and 75 transferring in.

Councillor Lin Patterson asked if the associated budget would transfer to the Council.

The Assistant Director of Health Improvement replied that they were not expecting there to be a reduction in the budget.

The Select Committee RESOLVED to:

i) Note the commissioning responsibilities being transferred to the Local Authority on 1st October 2015 and the progress made to ensure a smooth transfer.

ii) Note the functions of the Health Visitor and Family Nurse Partnership services and the important contribution they make towards outcomes for children and families.