The report of the Strategic Director of Health and Wellbeing (Document “G”) sets out a high level overview of the plans for the evolution of our integrated health and care partnership arrangements in Bradford District and Craven, and across the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership. These changes address the requirements of the Government’s Health and Care Bill 2021.

Recommended –

That the Wellbeing Board notes the intended place based partnership arrangements, which are proposed by the health and care partnership; and seeks such assurances as may be necessary from the health and care partnership.

(James Drury - 07970 479491)

The report of the Strategic Director, Health and Wellbeing (Document “G”) was submitted to the Board to provide an overview of the plans for the evolution of our integrated health and care partnership arrangements in Bradford District and Craven

Changes were being made to comply with the Government’s Health and Care Bill 2021.  The Bill proposed that Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) were formally established as statutory bodies and replaced the existing Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in 2022.  The ICS would also take on some additional functions previously undertaken by NHS England and NHS Improvement.

The report provided members with the details of the compilation of the new organisations along with their areas of responsibility and accountability with details of the local proposal.

Timelines for the new statutory bodies included details of recruitment, due diligence planning, the proposed operating model and governance arrangements.

By the end of March 2022 it was intended that recruitment to senior ICS roles would be confirmed, due diligence would be completed and arrangements for staff and property (assets and liabilities, including contracts) be completed. The ICS constitution would be submitted for approval agreement on 2022/23 MOU with NHS England and NHS Improvement. 

The intention was that by the start of April 2022 the new ICS NHS body would be established with staff and property transferred and the relevant Boards would be in place.

The details of existing and proposed Governance were provided in documents appended to the main report.  Details of how the place based partnerships would develop were also set out in the report for Members information and included management structure and funding details.

The Chair commented that the transition was important and that the arrangement for ICP Members would be eligible to vote was unique arrangement.

She was pleased that Kathy Elliott would be taking over the role of Chair of the ICS and wished her success in the role.  The Chair also noted that care would be needed that the model followed was not a medical one as it was about equality with care to be taken in relation to budgets to ensure that the residents of the District continued to receive care.

The representative from the CCG stated that leadership would be ‘place’ based and that the appointment of the Chair would be subject to ICS processes.  Roles may rotate but only if was agreed to do so and it would be reviewed.  The ICB proposal was for a Non-Executive Chair of the Partnership in Place but this was not supported as some parties wanted an independent Chair. 

It was further stated that the link between the ICP and WBB would need to continue to be strong and the Wellbeing Board should continue to be able to advocate for the District at ICS level.

Maintaining the public voice, local authority and VCS within the wide partnership at Place would be the desired aim and outcome as our collective Partnership has operated successfully.

In terms of finance there was no change to the NHS allocation and work was underway with the ICS to understand the delegation of budgets.

In relation to the Non-Executive vs Executive Director, The ICS would want consistency across it’s sub committees and was still an issue under development.

Some further points and suggestions were made by Members as follows:

·         Connections between Wellbeing Board, regional and national Partnerships to be mapped as all Boards should link

·         The District Plan had been approved and should underpin our place based strategies

·         Inequalities: The board would like to ensure that this remained a central theme that underpinned the work of the Partnerships and regional ICS and would like assurances from the regional ICS that this was being considered.

·         Further discussion was still needed on how the Boards would operate

·         Assurances sought that diversity in leadership would be a considered

·         Work on ICP/ICS constitution was underway but on a tight timescale

·         Recognition that there needed to be space for new initiatives and innovation in the new structures

Resolved –

1.    That a letter is drafted and sent to the CEO Lead for West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership setting out the partnership’s preferred options for transition arrangements, Chairing arrangements and finance/funding and seeking assurances from the CEO with respect to Bradford Districts commitment to tackling inequalities and the delivery of our District Plan.

2.    That the Wellbeing Board notes the intended place based partnership arrangements, which are proposed by the health and care partnership; and seeks such assurances as may be necessary from the health and care partnership.

3.    That a mapping exercise be undertaken which outlines the links between the Wellbeing Board, regional and national Partnerships is produced and shared.

Action: Chief Officer, Bradford District and Craven CCG/ Programme Director ICP Board