To update the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) members on the Herefordshire’s Better Care Fund (BCF) quarter 1 performance template 2025-26 and seek formal Health and Wellbeing Board approval.

Hilary Hall updated the board on Herefordshire’s Better Care Fund (BCF) quarter 1 performance template 2025/26, the main points included:

i.             The delivery plan had been submitted by the deadline of 15 August 2025;

ii.            The current position with national metrics at quarter 1 was summarised as follows:

·              Emergency admissions to hospital for people aged over 65 per 100,000 population: local data showed that emergency admissions were not on track and attention was drawn to initiatives to avoid unnecessary admissions.

·              Average length of discharge delay for all acute adult patients: local data indicated promising progress.

·              Long-term admissions to residential care homes and nursing homes for people aged 65 and over per 100,000 population: there had been continuing reductions in long-term admissions.

iii.          It was reported that the BCF was underspent at quarter 1, with underspending of the Disabled Facilities Grant offsetting high levels of demand in other funding streams, particularly hospital discharge services.

Resolved:  That

a)      the Better Care Fund (BCF) 2025/26 quarter one report at Appendix 1 submitted to NHS England, be approved retrospectively by the board; and

b)      the ongoing work to support integrated health and care provision that is funded via the BCF be noted.