Agenda item

Report of Mark Godfrey, Deputy Director, Adult Social Care

The Board considered joint report of Mark Godfrey, Coventry Council and Juliet Hancox, Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) which provided an update on progress towards delivering the Better Care Coventry Programme. The report referred to the development of three specific elements of the programme: (i) social prescribing/ social navigation (ii) integrated neighbourhood teams and (iii) information sharing. The Board also viewed a video which highlighted a successful case where a patient with multi-complex needs was supported by a team from the different partner agencies.

The report set out the background to the introduction of the Better Care Fund which was a single pooled budget for health and social care services to work more closely together in local areas based on a plan agreed between the NHS and Local Authorities. The current value of the fund was £5.3m.

The purpose of social prescribing/ social navigation was to improve the health and well-being of people who were in contact with their GP, who didn’t require medical intervention but required support to minimise their social isolation. A social navigator would work with individuals assisting them to maximise their independence through accessing support from the voluntary and community sectors. The service was commissioned by the CCG and Public Health were providing ‘pump prime’ to support the first two years. It was proposed to establish a ‘hub’ to act as a link between GP practices and social navigators. The report detailed how the hub would operate. The procurement process was to take place in August 2015 with initial implementation between September and December 2015 and a full roll out to all GP practices in January 2016.

Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) comprised of staff from across health and social care organisations, working in a multi-disciplinary way to support people with multi complex needs to maximise their independence and prevent avoidable admissions to hospital. Pilots had been operating at the Forum and Jubilee GP practices since July 2014. The report set out the positive impacts that the INTs were having on people and services. It was proposed that three INTs be established across the city with every GP practice being allocated to one of these teams. All referrals would be sent to the Hub who would undertake an assessment as to whether the patient required INT support, social navigation or both.

The sharing of information between health and social care staff across the city was a key enabler to deliver integrated arrangements to improve outcomes for Coventry people. The positive benefits of this approach were detailed. An Information Sharing Board had been set up to oversee this project and all partner organisations had agreed and signed an Information Sharing Protocol.

Members questioned how it would be possible to have senior employee input into each individual patient assessment for the INTs when the project was expanded across the city and there would be a significant increase in patient numbers. The use of best practice for the social prescribing model involving a single point of access was welcomed. Discussion centred on whether the procurement process would involve a formal tender or a financial grant and the importance of ensuring the best use of financial resources.

RESOLVED that a further update report on progress towards delivering the Better Care Coventry Programme be submitted to the next Board meeting on 7^th September, 2015.