The Health and Wellbeing Board of Redbridge Council met on Monday 25 January 2016 to discuss the early help needs assessment for children and young people, and to receive updates on the devolution of health and social care services and CCG planning. The Board noted the conclusions of the early help needs assessment report and received updates on the progress of the Accountable Care Organisation business case and the CCG's planning round for 2016/17.

Early Help Needs Assessment

The Board received a report summarising the Early Help Needs Assessment, which aimed to inform the commissioning and planning of health services for children and families aged 0-25 in Redbridge. The assessment highlighted issues with service provision capacity across universal and specialist children's health services, leading to parents seeking private support with significant financial implications. This capacity shortage also impeded early identification and support. While limitations in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are to be addressed through the CAMHS Transformation Plan, the report itself had no immediate financial implications as planning is a collaborative effort among partners. The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has developed a Redbridge Child Strategy, and joint commissioning posts and action plans are in place. The Board noted the need to move towards a unified plan across partner organisations, rather than focusing on separate departmental funds, to achieve better outcomes for children. The report's recommendations and next steps were noted and endorsed, with the Board resolving to note the conclusions in the report.

Devolution Through an Accountable Care Organisation

An update was provided on the development of a business case for an Accountable Care Organisation (ACO) model, which aims to integrate health and social care delivery across Barking & Dagenham, Havering, and Redbridge. This initiative follows a government announcement regarding a devolution pilot for health and social care in these boroughs. Work streams are being established to gather resident feedback, and a survey and research will be conducted. Board members expressed enthusiasm for this development and requested to be kept updated, agreeing to make it a standing agenda item. Updates will also be shared via email, and a website is under development. The Executive Group's role is to ensure cross-borough engagement, reduce duplication, and maximise existing systems. Similar devolution programmes and ACO models are being explored in Manchester and Northumberland. The Board noted the importance of delivering current priorities and ensuring the business case adds value and promotes service efficiency. The engagement of clinical and democratic leaders, along with clinical and professional groups, was highlighted. The ACO model is recognised as complex, with no decision able to proceed without considering funding constraints. There is confidence that this integrated approach will succeed, offering opportunities to link with General Practitioner services. The business case will be informed by emerging needs and demands across the Barking, Havering, and Redbridge (BHR) area, potentially involving the development of future scenarios. The Board resolved to note the update in the report.

CCG Planning Round 2016/17

Conor Burke, representing the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), presented a paper on the CCG's planning for 2016/17, including the requirement to submit Operational Delivery Plans and 5-year Sustainability Transformation Plans. The current health and social care system faces sustainability challenges, with a potential deficit of £300 million if existing systems remain unchanged. This planning round is strategically aligned across the North East London region to minimise bureaucracy. The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People recommended, and the Board agreed, to support the Director of Public Health regarding future public health grant allocations and the funding of Health Visitors. The Adult Social Care budget was noted as significantly below what is required for Redbridge. The ACO is seen as an opportunity to address the significant gap across the system. The 5-year Strategic Plan is a rolling plan requiring annual updates. The Board resolved to note the described planning requirements and timescales from the NHS England 2016/17 planning guidance, and the emerging work streams requiring further consideration.

Implementation of Ambitions for Palliative and End of Life Care

A joint report from Redbridge Council and the CCG provided an update on the local implementation of the 'Ambitions for Palliative and End of Life Care' National Framework for Action 2015-2020. This framework builds on previous work and acknowledges increasing demands on service providers. The National Palliative and End of Life Care Partnership has called for local leaders to coordinate the implementation of the framework's vision and six ambitions, starting with designating a local lead. The Redbridge CCG has agreed to lead this local implementation. Discussions highlighted the need for continued upskilling of primary care to manage end-of-life situations and support for individuals to choose where they wish to die, aiming to reduce hospital deaths. Organisations are encouraged to explore different approaches to support people remaining in the community. Community feedback has been positive. The Board enquired about the groups involved, and the Director of Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing committed to providing this information. The Board resolved to note the report and receive a progress update in due course.

Work Programme for Health and Wellbeing Board

The Board reviewed its work programme for the forthcoming meetings in 2015-16, which outlines proposed documents and topics. The Board resolved to note the proposed Work Programme.

Dates of Future Meetings

The date of the next meeting was noted as Monday, 7 March 2016, to be held at the Kenneth More Theatre.