Agenda and draft minutes

Due to the absence of the Chair and Vice-Chair it was noted that an interim Chair for the sub-committee was required.

The Senior Democratic Services Officer asked for nominations and it was proposed and seconded that Councillor Sue Markham Chair the meeting.

Resolved that Councillor Sue Markham be confirmed as Chair for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Margaret Bell and Danielle Oum (Vice Chair).

There were none.

Councillor Jerry Roodhouse declared a non-pecuniary interest as a Director of Healthwatch Warwickshire.

Councillor Liz Coles declared a non-pecuniary interest as she was a Trustee of South Warwickshire Foundation Trust.

A report requesting approval of the updated Better Care Fund Plan for 2024/25, noting the changes outlined in section 4 following feedback from the Better Care Fund Regional Assurance Panel.

The Sub-Committee received a report from the Integrated Partnership Manager, Rachel Briden, which outlined the amended Better Care Fund Plan, following feedback from the Better Care Fund Regional Assurance Panel.  Approval of the updated version (attached at Appendix A to the report) was required.

Rachel Briden reminded Members that the Better Care Fund Plan for 2024/25 had originally been agreed at the June Sub-Committee and since then had been through the regional reassurance process.  During the process, it had been recognised that there was a capacity shortfall in Pathway 1 discharge capacity, amounting to 69 patients per month.

This had been reported at the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWBB) meeting on 11 September 2024 and, at that stage, a resolution for the shortfall was still under consideration by the Care Collaborative Committee and health and care partners.

Since then, South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust and George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust had agreed funding of up to £1.1m for the Community Recovery Service.  The funding would mitigate the immediate pressure by securing additional planned capacity and was subject to a number of conditions, including completion of an options appraisal in November 2024, focussing on four key areas to deliver in-year savings. Rachel Briden advised that work was underway to meet the conditions and report back to the two trusts and Integrated Care System.  The Sub-Committee was therefore being asked to approve the updated plan and note the reasons for the changes outlined in section 4 of the report.  The updated plan had been endorsed by the Warwickshire Care Collaborative Committee on 9 October 2024 and Warwickshire’s Joint Commissioning Board on 16 October 2024.  Following the Sub-Committee meeting, officers would confirm approval with the Better Care Fund regional manager.

Rachel Briden signposted Members to some of the key changes and supporting information provided in the pack. 

Councillor Roodhouse asked for assurance that University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust and Rugby patients were not being disadvantaged.  In addition, he noted that funding was reliant on the government and any changes to calculations, or inflation rates, could be problematic.

Rachel Briden explained that UHCW had been unable to provide any additional funding to increase planned capacity. This impacts approximately six patients per week.  The gap for those would therefore need to be managed separately on an individual basis.

In relation to the government funding and inflation comment, Rachel Briden advised that despite the government’s Budget announcements that day, any future Better Care Fund settlement would not be known until the Local Government Financial Settlement was announced in December.  She noted that the Improved Better Care Fund (IBCF) had not increased with inflation for three years and would be under significant pressure if it was not increased again. 

Councillor Marian Humphreys thanked Rachel Briden for the report and queried the formatting of the table on page 18 of the pack.  It was noted that this was an anomaly within the NHS England template and did not indicate an incomplete return.

Councillor Markham asked when  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.