Decision details

The Better Care Fund (“BCF”) is a programme spanning both the NHS and local government to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our society, placing them at the centre of their care and support, and providing them with ‘wraparound’ fully integrated health and social care, resulting in an improved experience and better quality of life. The Improved Better Care Fund (“IBCF”) which includes £452k carried forward from 18/19, Winter Pressures and Disabled Facilities Grant are additional elements to the Better Care Fund, which are paid as direct grants to Councils, but must be pooled into the local BCF plan.

This ODR concerns the BCF, IBCF, Winter Pressures and Disabled Facilities Grant pooled budgets between Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group (Doncaster CCG) and Doncaster Council for the financial year 2019/20. The pooled budgets sit under Section 75 of the NHS Act 2006 and the transfer of money from the CCG to the Council comes as a grant under Section 256 of the same Act.

Approval is sought to formalise this fund transfer arrangement and the related budget and governance arrangement of various schemes via the signing of a Section 75 Agreement. The previous agreement used for 2018/19 has been updated to reflect the addition of the IBCF, Winter Pressures and Disabled Facilities Grant and the Better Care Fund Plan.

See attached Officer Decision Record for full details.

To approve the Section 75 Agreement relating to the transfer of funds between DCCG and Doncaster Council and the governance and scheme arrangements relating to the Better Care Fund, Improved Better Care Fund, Winter Pressures & Disabled Facilities Grant for 2019/2020 with an option to extend the Agreement for 2020/2021.

Option 1 – Do not accept. This is not an option as joint working to meet the requirements for transforming Doncaster’s health and social care needs is a key priority for both the Doncaster Council and the CCG and the receipt of the funding is dependent upon a signed contract between both parties.

Option 2 (recommended) – Accept the funds and approve the signing of the Agreement.