The Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Health submitted a report seeking approval for the Council’s involvement in the newly formed Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Partnership (BOB ICP) and recommending the formal appointment of a representative and deputy.  Attached to the report at Appendix 1 were the draft Terms of Reference for the BOB ICP.

The report noted that commissioning arrangements within the NHS had changed to enable the creation of Integrated Care Systems (ICSs). The Reading and Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Groups no longer existed and had now been replaced by the BOB Integrated Care Board (ICB).  Integrated Care Partnerships were intended to strengthen the alignment of the ICS and local Health and Wellbeing Boards and the BOB ICP would cover the Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire and Berkshire West area including Reading Borough.  ICPs were required to publish an integrated care strategy to set out how the assessed needs in the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for the areas covered by the partnership could be met through the exercise of the functions of the ICB, partner local authorities or NHS England.  The BOB ICP had begun consultation on a draft strategy with the following themes: Start Well; Live Well; Age Well; Promoting Healthy Lives; Health Protection and Improving Access to health services.

The report explained that the BOB ICP founding voting members were the unitary and county councils that covered the BOB area and that the membership also included wider health and social care system partners and other non-voting partners. The founding members of the BOB ICP had agreed the terms of reference for the new Partnership Board before its first meeting on 28 October 2022.

Resolved:

(1)      That the involvement of the Council in the new Joint Committee of the Integrated Care Partnership that covered the Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire and Berkshire West area be approved;

(2)      That the final draft Terms of Reference for the BOB ICP Joint Committee be noted;

(3)      That the Leader of the Council be appointed as the Council’s representative on the ICP and Councillor Terry be appointed as Deputy.

(Councillor Mitchell declared a prejudicial interest in this Item on the basis that he was employed by the Department for Health and Social Care.  He left the meeting and took no part in the debate or decision.)