Purpose

To seek approval to provide a 3.6% uplift to cover the 2025-26 Agenda for Change pay uplift.

Decision

That the Cabinet Member for Health and Communities:

a)    Approves additional funding of £0.471m to support a 3.6% pay uplift on staffing costs for 2025-26 for the following Public Health commissioned services delivered by Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust (DCHS) as part of the Section 75 Partnership Agreement between the Council and DCHS, which are subject to Agenda for Change uplifts:

•         0-19 Public Health Nursing Service

•         Integrated Specialist Intensive Home Visiting Service

•         Derbyshire Integrated Breastfeeding Support Service

•         Oral Health Promotion Service; and

b)    Notes that this pay uplift will be provided out of the Public Health Grant for 2025-26. 

Reasons for the decision

The confirmation of the Public Health Grant allocation for 2025-26 included provision for the AfC pay increment. The 2025-26 AfC pay increment has now been confirmed at 3.6%, meaning approval can now be sought from the Cabinet Member as the total pay uplifts across all four services included within the Section 75 Agreement is below the £0.500m threshold for approval.

Alternative options considered

Do not provide Public Health Commissioned Services delivered by DCHS as part of this Section 75 Agreement the pay uplifts outlined within this report (Do nothing) The funding for the recurrent pay uplifts outlined within this report has been baselined into the Public Health Grant allocation for 2025-26. Failure to provide these pay uplifts will mean these services continue to face significant cost pressures to meet the required 3.6% AfC pay increment for 2025-26. This would result in services having to reduce service provision for local residents and not effectively meeting or addressing population health outcomes. It is for these reasons why not providing the recurrent pay uplifts outlined within this report is not the preferred option.