The document discusses integrating health and social care. It notes that a conference had a productive discussion on practical arrangements and local connections working well or not for integration. Delegates felt continuing discussions on challenges would be useful. It was generally agreed more money is needed to deliver high quality care. The document provides background on integrated care plans and funds, and asks for views on discussions around allocating resources, experiences being pioneers of integration, and views on what's working well and challenges in making tough choices.

1. Integrating health and social care
• We had a very productive conversation
about integrating health and social care
subject at the ACEVO Health and Social
Care Conference in March.
• As part of a panel discussion, we took
contributions from the floor on:
– Practical arrangements that are
working well
– Local connections that are being made (or not being made) to get to grips with
the tough choices that need to be made.
– The risks and challenges to the voluntary and community sector with respect to
the integration agenda

2. Integrating health and social care
• We had feedback that delegates thought it would be useful to continue the
discussion and revisit some of the issues that came up.
• The conference was generally in agreement that there is not enough money in the
system to deliver high quality health and for adult social care. In light of this, what is
realistically achievable now?

3. Some Background
• The National Collaboration for Integrated Care and Support published Integrated Care
and Support: Our Shared Commitment. The National Collaboration consists of all the
major national health and care organisations.
• The June 2013 Spending Round announced the creation of a £3.8 billion fund, now
called the Better Care Fund.
– '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 4th April is the deadline for CCGs to submit their final version of the Better Care
Plan, as an integral part of their constituent CCGs' Strategic and Operational Plans.
• In November, 14 localities were announced as integration health and care pioneers. The
pioneers will test local and national barriers that need to be addressed and act as a
source of rapid national learning, promotion and uptake across the country.

4. Continuing the conversation…
• It's clear from the various publications that have come out this year that whilst local discussions
are required to agree on how to respond to local issues, there are some common issues across
the country such as care of the elderly and opportunities for shared learning.
• The need for integrated care to improve people’s experience of health and social care, the
outcomes achieved and the efficient use of resources has never been greater.
• Now we'd like to hear more from you about the national and local conversations you have been
having with CCGs, trusts and Health and Wellbeing Boards about how to allocate recourses from
Better Care Fund. We’d also like to hear about your experiences of working with or applying to be
an integration pioneer, or local discussions about delivering services differently.

5. Questions
• We’d like to hear your views on what is working well
• Whether you think that local discussions have really got
to grips with the tough choices that need to be made –
is the new system mature enough to cope with making
these decisions?
• What are the risks and what are the challenges to the
voluntary and community sector with respect to the
integration agenda?