Issue - meetings

The Board received a report from the Strategic Director - People, which provided an update on the key elements outlined in the Government White Paper Integration and Innovation: working together to improve health and social care for all, February 2021.

Members noted that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) had published the White Paper that sets out legislative proposals for a Health and Care Bill.  The Paper detailed proposals for NHS and social care reform, with a focus on integrated care and services adding value for end users.

The White Paper recognised that the response to Covid-19 was the current priority, however, as the system emerges from the pandemic the legislative measures aimed to assist with the recovery by bringing organisations together, removing barriers and enabling change and innovations.

The legislative proposals were due to be implemented in 2022 and the proposals were themed under following headings:

a)    Working together and supporting integration;

b)    Reducing bureaucracy;

c)    Improving accountability and enhancing public confidence; and 

d)    Additional proposals grouped as Social Care, Public Health and Safety and Quality.

The report discussed each of the above themes in detail.  Also a summary of the Paper from the NHS was provided as well as information on the impact this would have on One Halton.

  Further to Members queries the following additional information was provided:

·         With regards to data sharing, it would be information of a non-personal nature;

·         New IT systems were being devised for integration purposes and work was going on behind the scenes;

·         Adult Social Care funding would remain as it is, from the Council;

·         The financial implications of this were still unknown but would become clearer as the process moves along; and

·         The Discharge to Access model was brought in as a response to Covid-19 to support hospitals with the smooth discharge of patients.  This would replace the existing legal requirement for all assessments to take place prior to discharge and this had already been implemented in the area.

RESOLVED:  That the contents of the report be noted.