The Health and Wellbeing Board met on Tuesday 7 December 2021, but due to being inquorate, no formal decisions could be made. The Board discussed the Better Care Fund report, which outlines joint health and social care planning, and noted the dates for future meetings.

Better Care Fund Report

The Board received a report on the Better Care Fund (BCF), a framework for joint health and social care planning and commissioning. This fund consolidates various funding streams, including CCG minimum allocations, the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), and funding for adult social care services, known as the improved Better Care Fund (iBCF). While winter pressures are now incorporated into the BCF, the ringfencing for this specific funding has been removed. The BCF Planning Guidance for 2021-22 was published with minimal changes due to ongoing system pressures.

The BCF plan development involved commissioning and finance leads from the three boroughs and the NEL, CCG, BHR area, overseen by the BCF Executive Group and the BHR Joint Commissioning Board. National conditions require sign-off from respective Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs). BCF plans were submitted on 16 November, and due to the timing, formal assurance was required at the next available Board meeting.

During the discussion, questions were raised regarding collaboration on patient discharge and adaptation needs to support the re-enablement agenda, as well as whether assisted technology provision would be shared or exclusive to social care. Caroline Martindale from the Council's Adult Social Care Directorate and Peter McDonnell from the NEL BHR CCG addressed these points.

However, the meeting was inquorate, with one member short of the required quorum. Consequently, Councillor M. Santos, the Chair, proposed that the BCF report and associated documents be circulated to all Board members via email for their views and approval. The formal approval of the BCF report will be recorded at the next Health and Wellbeing Board meeting.

Dates of Future Meetings

The Board noted the scheduled dates for future meetings for the remainder of the municipal year, with the next meeting planned for 28 February 2022.