Issue - meetings

The Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Director of People and Director of Public Health to present a report which provides an update on plans to extend and improve the collaborative working between health and care services in York during the Covid-19 pandemic, including the establishment of a new ‘York Health and Care Alliance’.

Resolved:  (i)      That the collaboration and joint working between health and social care, both prior to and during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the opportunities this work presents to improve health services for York citizens in the long term, be noted.

                   (ii)      That it be noted that national policy direction and reforms, which encompass both health and social have, have implications for local authorities in terms of integration and collaboration with NHS partners.

                   (iii)     That the plans being proposed in York to respond to the national legislative changes, including current plans to establish the York Health and Care Alliance, be endorsed.

                   (iv)    That the participation of the council in this new Alliance, including the interim governance arrangements in 2021/22 in its ‘shadow’ year, be approved.

                   (v)     That the proposed priorities and areas that the Alliance will focus on in its first year, and the aims of the alliance to:

·        be people-centred,

·        integrate services, and

·        deliver timely and appropriate care

be supported.

(vi)    That future reports on progress and future arrangements for the York Health and Care Alliance be considered by the Health Scrutiny Committee, the Health & Wellbeing Board, and the Executive.

Reason:     In order to prepare the system in York to respond to the coming Government reforms to health and social care and to put York in the best place to benefit from these changes.

[See also under Part B minutes]

The Director of Public Health presented a report which provided an update on plans to extend and improve the collaborative working between health and care services in York during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Following publication of Government’s white paper ‘Integration and Innovation: working together to improve health and social care for all’, the report proposed the establishment of a York Health and Care Alliance (the Alliance).  The reforms in the white paper, as summarised in paragraph 9 of the report, would take effect from April 2022.  The Alliance, made up of a number of organisations involved in commissioning and delivering care in York, would initially be established in shadow form before being formalised in 2022.  A proposed Concord and Terms of Reference for the Alliance in its shadow year was annexed to the report.

Dr Mike Holmes of Nimbuscare Ltd. and Simon Morritt, Chief Executive of York & Scarborough Hospital NHS Trust, were in attendance and expressed their support for the proposals.  In response to comments made under Public Participation, officers highlighted that:

·        during its shadow year, the Alliance Board would not be making any decisions and its members would be reporting to their own organisations;

·        further work on governance arrangements would be carried out and reported back to Executive.

In welcoming the report, the Chair confirmed he would be happy for the briefing already provided to the Health & Wellbeing Board on this matter to be circulated to all Council Members.

Resolved:  (i)      That the collaboration and joint working between health and social care, both prior to and during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the opportunities this work presents to improve health services for York citizens in the long term, be noted.

                   (ii)      That it be noted that national policy direction and reforms, which encompass both health and social care, have implications for local authorities in terms of integration and collaboration with NHS partners.

                   (iii)     That the plans being proposed in York to respond to the national legislative changes, including current plans to establish the York Health and Care Alliance, be endorsed.

                   (iv)    That the participation of the council in this new Alliance, including the interim governance arrangements in 2021/22 in its ‘shadow’ year, be approved.

                   (v)     That the proposed priorities and areas that the Alliance will focus on in its first year, and the aims of the alliance to:

·        be people-centred,

·        integrate services, and

·        deliver timely and appropriate care

be supported.

(vi)    That future reports on progress and future arrangements for the York Health and Care Alliance be considered by the Health Scrutiny Committee, the Health & Wellbeing Board, and the Executive.

Reason:     In order to prepare the system in York to respond to the coming Government reforms to health and social care and to put York in the best place to benefit from these changes.