Agenda item

Integrated Care Fund

Minutes:

Attendee:

-       Roxanne Green (Regional Partnership Board Regional Team)

-       James Harris (Strategic Director - People)

-       Chris Humphrey (Head of Adult and Community Services)

 

The Head of Service presented a brief overview to the Committee and highlighted they key areas for consideration. It was advised that the Integrated Care Fund was now in its 5th year, and is a grant that comes from Welsh Government to support the development of services across the shared services. Every regional board bids for the grant. There are a number of different grants, and the requirements for the grants are that they cannot be used to support care services.  The grant had been used in the past in Adult Services to provide step down beds in Parklands, upgrade respite facilities at Centrica Lodge. Live proposals for Children’s Services are to provide more in house care facilities rather than send children further away. Over the last few years the Council has benefited from this money. It underpins our prevention and early prevention services. It is also used to bolster layers so people don’t have to move into more complex care services.

 

The Officer gave context to the Members as outlined in appendix 1 in the report. It was advised that the services are provided by three funding streams. Partners have to utilise funding by providing Welsh Government with a robust plan, who make a final decision. This has brought up challenges and delays with the CPA investment plan. Newport currently have projects in ten programmes. Newport’s allocation for revenue is 16%. It was then advised that partners were not expecting £19.4 million to the region. All strategic partners had to work hard to understand the financial plan. Newport is leading the way developing children structures.

 

 

Members asked the following:

 

·                Members thanked the officers for the helpful introduction. Comment was made that it would be useful to see how Newport benefits has partners, as well as outcomes and benefits that residents have seen. Members were advised that officers have to provide quarterly updates on every project. In terms of residents benefiting, officers have people’s feedback and stories. Example was then given of Step Up, Step Down outcomes 95%, being one of the highest. Members advised it would be useful to see more information in future papers. Officers replied that they are currently doing last quarter’s information, Members will have a clear picture of the prospective project. Officers can feedback these projects back to the committee.

 

 

·                What lessons have been learnt whilst working together, and have there been any challenges? Members were advised that a factor in this was how money was best used, the partners have learnt from which projects have worked and been effective and which haven’t. Projects are agreed collaboratively across Gwent and then tested as a pilot. If successful they are then scaled up throughout Gwent. Example was given that hospital discharges and delayed transfers of care have decreased considerably over the last four to five years.

Further examples were given that Monmouth started working with people with learning disabilities to give more social connections for a scheme – My Mates. This was piloted in Monmouth and is now being rolled out to the whole of Gwent. Comment was then made that they work closely with partners to make sure that money is dispersed to 3rd sector partners to add value to some things they can do.

It was also advised that there is a real maturity in the partnership, they actually align with regional work. There is a real appetite for partnership work, and no resistance to work together across Wales, so everyone is in a real fortunate position to be involved in a mature partnership.

 

·                Are there any challenges for the future? The officer replied that a challenge would be sustainability of services. They have a £16million revenue in Gwent, with a 31st March 2021 end date for funding (?) Partners will evaluate what projects have worked well to explore financial stability. Risk can be highlighted to Welsh Government which would have a massive impact to health and social care system.

The Strategic Director advised that they look at improving outcomes, there had been a little bit of weakness at the end of project, but the partners look at how things have gone, has it made a difference to service users, and how can service users be involved. Partners also look at what services do service users need and starting the services. Issue is that partners aren’t seeing much of how we are doing this. There is a concern about allocation of project money.

 

·                The committee were advised that the carers support service are getting additional support, with set events taking place for carers and community co-ordinators helping to work alongside. It also allows carers to be able to access their community support activities and to attend drop in sessions. The Strategic Director added that investment in community co-ordinators still requires people to signpost to services.

It was then advised that all of the partners were responsible for the carers support plan. This is the main role of the carers support network. It was noted that some carers so not want to have assessments but still want information. Members were advised that the number of carers have grown from 300,000 to 1.1 million.

 

·                Examples of how funds had been allocated were advised, which included the ICF Dementia fund which had a short term five month trial in place. Engagement included dementia sufferers, carers and housing colleagues. It was then advised that the timeline to respond to the Welsh Government funding window can sometimes be within six weeks.

 

·                Members were advised that Welsh Government have expected partners to work in a collaborative integrated way. Services are also expected to be seemless for citizens and patients.

 

·                Members asked when service users are discharged from hospitals, does the doctor work alongside the hospital social worker for the assessment. Members were advised that this is in the Reach model. Previously the hospital ward would refer everyone for a social work assessment whether it was needed or not which resulted in staff being overworked. Lots of people didn’t need any intervention. Now, service users are visited in the mornings to see who needs intervention and support or who doesn’t in order to make sure that those service. It was important to note however that this doesn’t mean decision making is being taken away from doctors, it is about finding the most effective working in a challenging environment.

 

·                When the evaluation process kicks in, how will this help partners? Members were advised that the evaluation process comes in November 2019. Each partner sits under partnership board will sign off evaluation work. The feedback and outcome of the evaluation will be shared for best practice and how to take things forward, including the risks involved. It will be an ongoing process, and will focus on one programme at a time. These would be a 15 month timeframe.

 

 

 

The Chair thanked the officers for attending.

 

 

Supporting documents: