The Board:
(i) Noted the progress made in 2015 and the process for drawing up the 2016-17 Better Care Fund (BCF) plan, including the Board’s role in approving the BCF plan;
(ii) Noted that the Policy Framework for the 2016/17 BCF had been released in January 2016 and the technical guidance had been received in February 2016, which had had a significant effect on the timetable for producing the BCF plan;
(iii) Endorsed, in principle, the current draft BCF plan, extension of the current Section 75 Agreement into 2016/17 and budget for 2016/17, which was set out in the Finance report to JEMC attached asAppendix B to the report, and agreed this should be used for the initial submission, albeit that some amendment would be likely as the plan is finalised; and
(iv) Agreed that in view of the timetable constraints, the Draft Final Plan should be submitted to NHS England on 25 April 2016 and that NHS England would be advised that the Plan was to be considered by the Board at its 26 April 2016 meeting, with the aim that the final Plan would be provided to NHS England on 27 April 2016.