Verbal update.

Mr Graham Hodkinson, Director for Health and Care provided a verbal update on progress in respect of the integration of Health and Social Care Services on the Wirral.

The Director of Health and Care informed of the two elements of health and care integration - the direct delivery of social care statutory assessment and support functions, and secondly the planning, funding and commissioning arrangements for health and care.

He further informed that Cabinet approval was being sought on 27 March for the commissioning of specific delegated functions through the formation of an integrated health and social care assessment and support planning service for older people and adults. In addition, in relation to commissioning, permission was to be sought for progression of the development of a single commissioning hub with the CCG. It was also sought for the commission of a due diligence exercise to fully understand the potential benefits and risks of pooling resources with the NHS.

The People Overview and Scrutiny Committee were apprised that Social Care Services play a vital role in enabling vulnerable people to maintain independence and keep well in Wirral. The cost of adult social care was, however, significant and did not operate in isolation. The inter-dependency between health and care systems had become increasingly clear over recent years. Nationally, Councils were faced with increasing demand on social care services that presented as a challenge to meet within the available resources. Local Authorities and NHS providers were increasingly working to integrate social care and health services locally to provide both sustainability and a better experience for people who use those services.

This key proposal was to integrate the statutory frontline assessment and support planning processes in order to contribute to meeting the challenges of growth and demand, and provide an improved service for local residents. The integrated front line service planned to deliver the assessment and support function for older people and adults on behalf of the Council under a contractual arrangement. The proposal was that this service will be provided by the NHS Wirral Community Foundation Trust (WCFT) who administer and provide community health services in Wirral. This would involve the transfer of social care staff to the NHS in order to provide joined up seamless health and social care delivery services for older people and adults. A separate proposal for an all age disability, and all age mental health integrated service was planned for 2018.

In addition, a further proposal to create an integrated commissioner for health and care on Wirral was planned. This would enable services to be commissioned through a single organisation fulfilling the statutory health and care functions of the Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). It would also enable strategic outcomes to be effectively delivered through a single planning framework and structure. The single commissioner initiative would enable the health and care system to use Wirral’s resources together to jointly create a sustainable health and care system. Commissioning would also provide system leadership and focus on outcomes for people alongside the accountable care delivery arrangements that were emerging for Wirral.

Members questioned the Director of Health and Care on the recent announcement regarding, and adequacy of, an additional £15 million funding from government towards Social Care on the Wirral.

The Director of Health and Care informed that although welcomed, the money was a one-off payment phased over 3 years and concerns still remained in the wider context regarding the quality and capability of the care market, along with challenges in the short term and the need for sustainability post 2020. He further informed that the government had made a commitment to work on plans for future funding.

Resolved – That the report be noted.