Issue - meetings

Mark Tyson, Commissioning Director updated the Board on the current position regarding the development of the 2017-19 Integrated and Better Care Fund (BCF) Plan in Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge (BHR). The Fund a joint Government, Local Government and NHS programme seeks to address mounting budgetary and demand pressures through health and social care integration with the aim of ultimately enabling people to manage their own health and wellbeing and live independently in their own communities for as long as possible. 

Although final Government policy guidance has only today been issued the Plan as presented builds on both the work of the 2015-17 Plan and a number of directives and guidance already issued by the Department of Health (DoH) and the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG). To maximise the potential of the Fund, and in light of the vision of the BHR Integrated Care Partnership the proposal is to explore in depth the merits to which the BCF Plan might be joined across BHR’s Health and Wellbeing Boards. However due to timing and to ensure the 2017-19 Plan is implemented to its fullest potential a staged approach will be followed so that in year 1 a new commissioning strategy is established with year 2 being used to pursue flexible pooled budget arrangements to follow joint commissioning plans to allow for integrated sustainable health and social care services in the three Boroughs.

Subject to ongoing discussions amongst the three Boroughs, a further report will be presented in September with a view to the Board approving the final Plan, in the absence of which, and so as not to delay matters, it was agreed to delegate authority to the Strategic Director for Service Development and Integration, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration, the Accountable Officer for the BHR Clinical Commissioning Groups and the Director of Law and Governance.