The Auditorium, Durham Centre, DH1 1TN
Tuesday 4 June 2024, 10.30am.
Please contact nencicb-sun.icbcorporateoffice@nhs.net
Agenda Items
To confirm the minutes of previous Board meeting held on 26 March 2024 are accurate.
The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of recent activity carried out by the ICB team, as well as some key national policy updates.
To present the Board with an updated Board Assurance Framework (BAF) as part of the quarterly review for 2024/25.
The Board to receive highlight reports and confirmed minutes of the Committees of the Board.
To provide the Board with an overview of the discussions from the Executive Committee meetings in March and April 2024, including the approved minutes for assurance.
To provide the Board with an overview of the discussions at the meeting of the Quality and Safety Committee held in March 2024, including the approved minutes for assurance.
To provide the Board with an overview of the discussions from the Executive Committee meetings in March and April 2024, including the approved minutes for assurance.
Finance Performance and Investment Committee Highlight Report
To provide the Board with an overview of the discussions from the Audit Committee meeting in April 2024, including the approved minutes for assurance.
The NENC Integrated Delivery Report (IDR) provides an overview of quality and performance, highlighting any significant changes, areas of risk and mitigating actions.
To provide the Board with an update on the financial performance of the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB) and NENC Integrated Care System (ICS).
ICB Finance Report Front Cover
ICB 2023/24 Finance Report M12
This paper presents the final submitted financial and operational plan for both the ICB and wider ICS for 2024/25, including a summary of changes since the draft plans presented to the Board previously.
Chief Nurse, AHP and People Officer presented the Quality Strategic Plan.
A question was received from the public, did not relate to items on the agenda and was responded to separately.
Question
There is general concern among patient representatives about the continuation of funding for “addition roles personnel “ currently providing services to GP practices via the PCN’s. There is no doubt that these additional roles are beneficial to patients and clinicians alike and are extremely cost effective. We understand that funding is not agreed beyond 2024 and that these roles could disappear unless funding is continued.
This subject has been raised in earlier meetings of the Countywide PRG so I am assuming the subject will appear somewhere on the agenda. I am raising this issue as an individual patient who has benefited from services provided by the addition roles staff and concerned that these services may be ceased.
Response
Thank you for taking the time to get in touch with us in relation to the additional roles funding in primary care. It is heartening to note the positive experience that you have received through the care and support in your practice.
There are two elements to the conversation regarding funding for these roles in primary care and particularly within County Durham.
- National funding for staff salaries
- Additional overhead costs for Primary Care Networks (PCNs)
National funding for staff salaries
There has been funding available to support the PCNs and their employment of these additional roles. It has been widely recognised these roles have helped expand the skills and capacity within local primary care teams, and this national funding has been provided to pay the salaries of these staff.
Although there are strong indications that funding for these roles will be continuing, we do not yet have formal confirmation of this or details of the total funding package.
As you have highlighted, these roles have provided considerable benefits to patients, and this is certainly something that we would want to continue going forward.
Additional overhead costs for Primary Care Networks
The second matter relates to a localised additional funding support arrangement that had been put in place within County Durham only. The additional support was intended to help support the PCNs as they set up these roles as well as any related overheads that were required in recruiting and managing these staff.
Since the funding for these roles was established nationally, there has been a reorganisation of NHS commissioning structures. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) were abolished and replaced by statutory Integrated Care Boards across the country from 1 July 2022 as set out in the Health and Care At 2022.
As a result of the new legislation, the statutory functions of the former County Durham CCG were absorbed into the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) which covers the geographical area of North and North Cumbria. The ICB took over the same responsibilities for planning and paying for health care services that had previously existed in County Durham, as well as some additional commissioning functions delegated from NHS England.
After the formation of the ICB, it became apparent that County Durham was unique in providing additional funding on top of the national funding to PCNs. Although variation is acceptable when it can be justified, there was no evidence that an increased number of staff were being employed in the County Durham PCNs as a result of this additional funding. In comparison, some other areas across the North East and North Cumbria were employing more additional roles, without access to this additional funding.
Specific efforts have been made to provide County Durham PCNs with time to adjust to the reduction in 'additional' funding that was being provided. This has seen a plan in place to gradually reduced the additional funding they receive over the last couple of years, providing time for the PCN's to adapt their ways of working.