Purpose

The Better Care Fund (BCF) is
one of the Government’s national vehicles in supporting
health and social care integration. It requires Place Based NHS
Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and Councils to agree a joint plan,
owned by the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB). These plans enable
using pooled funds to support integration, governed by an agreement
under section 75 of the NHS Act (2006).
 
As detailed in section 4 of the
report, in line with the national governance of the BCF, the plan
for 2025/26 has been approved by the Health and Wellbeing Board and
we have had confirmation from NHS England that they have also
approved the plans and funding can now be spent (Appendix 1 BCF
Approval Letter Croydon Council). The last stage for the BCF for
2025/26 is for the Council to enter into the Section 75 Agreement
with the ICB by 30 September 2025.
 
The report sets out the
recommendation to enter into the Section 75 Agreement with ICB
which means that both parties have met all the national conditions
once the Agreement is signed.
 
The report and planned spend of
the grant fund it describes, supports the Mayor’s Business
plan. Specifically the grant will contribute toward Priority 5:
People can lead healthier and independent lives for longer through
supporting discharge, reablement, home adaptations and services to
support unpaid carers. The grant also contributes toward Priority
1: The council balances its books, listens to residents and
delivers good sustainable services. It meets this priority through
“Strengthening collaboration and joint working with partner
organisations and the voluntary, community and faith
sectors”. This includes:
 
•              
Working with the Voluntary, Community and Faith
Sector (VCFS) and other partners via the One Croydon Alliance to
support the BCF National Plan for 2025/26 in shifting from treating
sickness to prevention.
•              
Improving resident health and reducing heath
inequalities via targeted support through good evidence
 
Tes report therefore also
contributes significantly toward the vision of the Adult Social
Care and Health directorate of “Enabling people to live in a
place they call home, with the people and things that they love,
doing the things that matter to them in communities which look out
for one another”.

Content

RESOLVED
to:
 

1.   
Agree to the Council entering into the Section 75
Agreement for the Better Care Fund (BCF) with the South West London
Integrated Care Board for 2025/2026.
 

2.   
Note that funding is received by the Council to
deliver the objectives of the BCF Plan for 2025/26.
 

Reasons for the decision

As detailed in section 1 of the
report, the BCF is a national scheme bringing together pooled
funding across health and social care to meet local objectives in
line with the BCF National plan priorities.
 
Sign-off of the Croydon Better
Care Fund Plans to NHS England sits within the legislative remit of
the Health and Wellbeing Board. The plan has been signed off by the
Health and Wellbeing Board but to meet all national conditions the
Council and the South West London ICB must enter into the Section
75 agreement by 30 September 2025.
 
The report is deemed as a key
decision as the schemes and plans agreed through the BCF affect all
residents within the borough.

Alternative options considered

The BCF is a nationally
mandated scheme for the Council and Health Services. This provides
valuable funding to support health and social care integration and
to provide important service to the residents of Croydon. There is
a statutory requirement for the BCF funds to be managed via pooled
funding arrangements and hence, the Council has to abide to
those.