“To this end we are bringing together a range of resources from the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the Local Authority to create a single commissioner for Wirral, working through formal shared arrangements, and a Committee in Common to ensure that the Council and the CCG can effectively deliver their Health and Care functions.

“The aim is to deliver the right care, in the right place, at the right time, in order to ensure that our residents are able to be as independent as possible but get access to important health and care services when they need them.”

Councillor Christine Jones introduced a report that followed earlier Cabinet reports of 16 January 2017 and 27 March 2017; it focussed on a key part of the broader integration of health and care services. The planning, funding and commissioning arrangements for all age health and care services.

Members noted that Cabinet approval had previously been sought to progress with the development of a single commissioning organisation bringing Local Authority functions together with the CCG, and that agreement had also been gained to commission a due diligence exercise to fully understand the potential benefits and risks of pooling resources with the NHS.

The report informed that the due diligence exercise was now complete and work had progressed in a number of areas. The report included a summary and response to the due diligence, the final business case, proposed governance arrangements and key elements of the Target Operating Model (TOM).

The report further informed that the proposal to create an integrated commissioner for health and care on Wirral would enable the commissioning of all age services to be commissioned through a single commissioner fulfilling the statutory health, care and wellbeing functions of the Council and the CCG. It would also support more effective delivery of strategic outcomes through a single planning framework and structure.

Councillor Christine Jones apprised Cabinet Members that the single commissioner initiative would enable the health and care system to use Wirral’s resources together to jointly create a more sustainable health and care system. Commissioning would provide system leadership and a focus on strategic outcomes for people, alongside the Place Based Care delivery arrangements that would ensure that the health and care provider system was fully integrated working together, with pooled budgets to deliver those outcomes for Wirral.

In response to comments made to him ahead of the meeting, the Leader informed Cabinet and those members of the public in attendance that the proposed integration of commissioning was neither an attack on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62