Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 7^th October 2020 having been circulated were signed as a correct record.

            The Board received an update on the most recent data on COVID-19, including an update on Halton outbreak support team activity and the most recent information on testing and vaccination for the people in Halton.

            RESOLVED: That Halton’s position on COVID-19 data, testing and vaccinations be noted.

            The Board considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Services, which provided an overview of Halton’s Adult Social Care COVID-19 Winter Plan 2020-21. On 18^th September 2020, the Government published the National ASC:COVID-19  Winter Plan, which was developed from the work undertaken nationally by the ASC COVID-19 Taskforce during the summer.

            As part of the national plan, Local Authorities were required to write to the Department of Health and Social Care by 31^st October 2020 confirming that they had put in place a winter plan and that they were working with care providers in their area on their business continuity plans. They were also asked to highlight any key issues in order to receive a second instalment of the Infection Control Fund. A copy of Halton’s Plan was attached at Appendix 1 of the report.

            The overall aim of Halton’s Winter Plan 2020/21 was to ensure that high quality, safe and timely care was provided to everyone who needed it during the winter, whilst continuing to protect people who need care, their carers and the social care workforce from COVID-19. The objective and areas covered by the Plan were also outlined in the report.

            RESOLVED: That the report and associated appendices be noted.

            The Board considered a presentation from Faye Woodward, Commissioning Manager Children and Families, NHS Halton CCG on the refresh of the Halton and Warrington Joint Children and Young People’s Mental Health Local Transformation Plan (LTP).

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Joint Local Transformational Plan be noted; and

2.    the Board approves the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Joint Transformational Plan for sharing in the public domain.

            The Board considered a report of the Director of Adult Services, which provided an overview of the new working arrangements between the Council and NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which took effect from 1^st April 2020. Since April 2013, the Council and NHS Halton CCG had a Joint Working Agreement (JWA) that included a pooled budget in place for the commissioning of services for people with complex care needs. From April 2015, the JWA included the Better Care Fund.

            Following a review of the JWA which was undertaken during the first six months of 2019/20, it was agreed that the Continuing Healthcare (CHC) and Community Care budget elements of the pooled budget would be separated out. This had resulted in the development of a revised JWA for the Better Care Fund (including the Disabled Facilities Grant, Winter Pressures and Improved Better Care Fund). A copy of the revised JWA was attached as an appendix to the report.

            RESOLVED: That the Board note the contents of the report and associated appendices.

            The Board received an update on matters relating to the development of One Halton, including the work of the One Halton Forum, the Integrated Commissioning Group and the Provider Alliance.

            A meeting of the One Halton Forum had taken place on 15^th December 2020 and the Board were requested to note the updates provided in relation to:

·         Integrated Care Systems;

·         Integrated Care Partnerships; and

·         The role of One Halton in ensuring the primacy of the Place Halton.

            With regard to finance, it was noted that One Halton had received £348,000 from the Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Therefore, for 2020/21 the revised One Halton budget was £676,000. This included money carried over from 2019/20 although some of this was allocated to existing projects. It was also noted that for 2020/21 there was a balance of £336,000 available for investment to support the delivery of the One Halton Plan. This money could be carried over to the next financial year.

RESOLVED: That the contents of the report be noted.

            The Board considered a report of the Director of Public Health, which advised on the intention to amend the One Halton strategy to take account of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The review would be carried out by a speciality in public health (Dr Matthew Atkinson) and will assess its impacts on the key priorities and refocus efforts to mitigate its effects on achieving the strategies aims.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the Strategy be updated and presented to the March 2021 Health and Wellbeing Board for approval; and

2.    Board Member’s contribute to the review by providing information on the impact COVID-19 had on services and health outcomes and by suggesting revised actions and goals.

The Board considered a report which provided an overview of progress to date of the plans for new hospital developments in Warrington and Halton, and sought support to continue to progress the plans for Halton Hospital site redevelopment and to ensure the provision of hospital services in a modern fit for purpose estate.

Members welcomed Lucy Gardener, from Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who presented the update.

The Board was advised that following the Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHSFT’s publication of its Estate and Facilities Strategy 2019-2024, the need for modernisation and reconfiguration on both the Warrington and Halton sites was reiterated.  This included the provision of a new hospital for Warrington and the completion of the development of a hospital and wellbeing campus on the Halton site.

It was reported that the Strategic Outline Cases (SOCs) had been developed for both and reviewed by NHSE with positive feedback received.  Further, the SOCs had been approved by the Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHSFT’s Board and by Warrington and Halton CCGs.  In order to further progress the planning for the new hospitals to the next stage, Executive Board was asked to give their support to the programme and support in progressing to the next state of business case development, this was agreed at the last meeting of the Executive Board in November.

 RESOLVED:  That the Board notes the report.

            The Board considered a report of the Director Adult Social Services, which provided an update on the Better Care Fund (BCF) 2020/21, the Better Care Fund Register and the Quarter 4 submission to NHS England. The report highlighted that:

·         due to COVID-19 the completion of Quarter 4 submission had been postponed and no further returns were required;

·         the BCF guidance and templates for the BCF Plan 2021/21 had also been postponed due to COVID-19;

·         the BCF Scheme Level Risk Register had been developed through the Better Care Development Group and a copy of this was attached as an appendix.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.