Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director Commissioning, Performance and Transformation

The Head of Service - Commissioning, Performance and Transformation provided an update on the Darlington Better Care Fund (BCF) 2023/25 Programme informing members of the next steps across the programme.  We were informed the tight timeframes for submission, with guidelines being received in late December 2023 and that final submission was made in early February 2024.

Members were informed that the underlying vision for the BCF over 2023-25 is to support people to live healthy, independent and dignified lives, through joining up health, social care and housing services seamlessly around the person. This vision is underpinned by the two core BCF objectives: to enable people to stay well, safe and independent at home for longer and to provide the right care in the right place at the right time.

A member raised the point that many activities specified in the submission relate to later-in-life individuals with the opinion that the prevention of unnecessary admissions would be more feasible if activities commenced earlier in people’s lives.  Officers acknowledged this and responded that there was an element of the funding allocated to prevention of admissions. Members were informed that funding is required to be assigned to areas under greatest stress with a focus on facilitation of discharge; with the post-COVID period showing greater strain than in previous years.

A member also expressed that they felt it would be beneficial for the report to clearly highlight that it is a Quarter 3 update and that a summary of changes from its previous presentation at the committee meeting would be beneficial and aid members in navigating the report more effectively.  Officers acknowledged this for future presentations.

RESOLVED – That the submission and reporting requirements of the programme be noted and agreed for a report to be presented at a future meeting of this committee to detail the outcome of the ongoing review of the BCF Scheme.