Agenda item

Report by the Chief Executive

15.1     The Director of Adult Social Care and Health highlighted the following points in his introduction:

·         The 2015/16 overspend of £6m was funded from the Better Care Fund, but it remains as an ongoing pressure, plus an additional £2.5m in 2016/17. The department is entering into discussions with NHS partners regarding mitigation of this pressure and aims to identify mitigations at an earlier point this year than last year.

·         There are very significant decisions to make in the coming months regarding the introduction of an Accountable Care Model which is the key approach being taken to achieving longer tem financial sustainability across health and social care.

15.2     The following points were made in response to the committee’s questions:

·         There would be a gap of more than £100m across health and social care with no change to the way services are commissioned and delivered. Although it is not automatic that the Accountable Care Model makes savings, it is the best available approach to achieving the objectives of prevention, earlier intervention and reducing the need for acute care. The joint strategic investment plan for a combined £860m budget will also assist in making better use of resources.

·         The RPPR process for Adult Social Care has added complexity due to the different approaches being taken in the East Sussex Better Together (ESBT) area (Hastings and Rother, and Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford) and the High Weald Lewes Havens area:

o   In 2017/18 the ESBT area will pool budgets of c£860m across health and social care and look at how to address all underlying deficits across the local health economy. The larger pooled budget enables more strategic decisions to be taken in line with our objectives. Areas of search for savings in this area will focus on cost avoidance, i.e. reducing demand through things such as changes to the urgent care system.

o   There is not yet agreement to pool budgets in the High Weald Lewes Havens area meaning that the ASC budget for this part of the county will need to be looked at separately. This will necessitate a different approach to addressing the savings requirement.

·         The Adult Social Care levy was introduced by government for 3 years and it is built into the overall modelling.

·         The main impact of the Sussex and East Surrey Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) is likely to be from the ‘central Sussex corridor’ element which particularly affects the High Weald Lewes Havens area. The committee will be updated on any likely impact on Adult Social Care.

15.3     The committee RESOLVED:

1)    to note that financial information will be cut into the ESBT and High Weald Lewes Havens geographies and to have a continued focus on the ESBT and Connecting 4 You programmes via the joint Scrutiny Boards.

2)    To establish an RPPR Board, comprising all available Members of the committee, to meet in December 2016 to consider the developing portfolio plans and savings proposals as they emerge in December and to submit scrutiny’s final comments on them to Cabinet in January 2017.