Decision details

The Deputy Director of Adult Social Care, Adults and Health, Katherine White, provided an update on the Better Care Fund (BCF) end of year position for 2023/24 and an update on the pooled BCF budget for 2024/25.  An account of progress against the five BCF performance metrics, scheme priorities and financial expenditure during 2023/24 was included within the report.  

The Board was asked to:

a)    Note the Blackburn with Darwen Better Care Fund (BCF) 2023/24 end of year position in relation to delivery and performance against targets.

b)    Note the BCF Quarter 1 2024/25 delivery plan and financial position.

Schemes and services funded via the BCF were focused on a collaborative approach to delivering integrated, person-centred services across health, care, housing, and wider public services. The overarching aim of these schemes and services was to support people to remain living well and independently at home, to improve outcomes for people in our neighbourhoods (including those discharged from hospital) and to reduce inequalities.  

An overview of BCF reporting requirements and associated governance was provided within the report. All the statutory planning and reporting requirements had been met throughout 2023/24. 

Metric Targets and End of Year position reported as:

Metric 1 – Avoidable Admissions. Data not available to assess progress

Metric 2 – Discharge to normal place of residence. Achieved

Metric 3 – Falls and Emergency Hospital Admissions. Data not available to assess progress

Metric 4 – Residential Admissions. Not Achieved

Metric 5 – Reablement. Achieved

It was noted that Secondary Uses Service (SUS) activity data within the national system for healthcare data was not complete due to the main provider across the BwD area (ELHT) implementing a new EPR system which resulted in issues with data submissions affecting reporting this year. Data was expected to be available for all reporting periods at the end of Qtr 3, however there were ongoing issues due to ELHT undertaking data quality checks and a time lag with data filtering through to national datasets. This was escalated to ELHT Executives with a request for an urgent resolution.

The Board acknowledged that our local geography and housing stock had a huge impact on enabling residents to live independently at home as there was not enough single level accommodation being created or maintained.

There was concern that the Metric data only indicated 2 out of 5 achieved, but the Board was reassured that the National Team and ICB were aware of the reporting difficulties regarding Metrics 1 and 3 and that our reporting was good and on time.

Liasing with successful Metric 4 ICBs and scrutiny of their models was suggested as it was acknowledged that our ICB was not the only one to miss the Metric 4 Target.

The Board welcomed the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) carry over was less than last year and further reduced due to discretionary allocation for small repairs and an improved All-Age pathway.

Better care via Albion Mill, with integrated care focussed on rehabilitation rather than residential care could be utilised more effectively. Access to GPs to reduce the risk of A&E attendance could achieve better outcomes for residents with multiple health needs.

RESOLVED – That the Board

a)    Noted the Blackburn with Darwen Better Care Fund (BCF) 2023/24 end of year position in relation to delivery and performance against targets.

b)    Noted the BCF Quarter 1 2024/25 delivery plan and financial position.