1. The Community, Health and Social Care Directorate Section 31 Pooled Budgets Presentation to Budget Scrutiny Cttee 6 th September 2006

2. Section 31 – Pooled Budgets Todays presentation will cover Origin and purpose of Section 31 Types of Section 31 Agreement Pooled Budgets currently in existence Pooled Budget Contributions Benefits of Pooled Budgets Constraints of Pooled Budgets Conclusions

3. Origin and purpose of Section 31 Section 31 of the Health Act 1999 allowed the creation of Section 31 partnership agreements between Health and Local Authorities Policy intention was to break down barriers to joint working, enabling joint planning and service delivery for those areas of service complementary to Health and Social Care

4. Types of Section 31 Agreement Section 31 agreements are partnership agreements which are set up for a specific service area with the intention of providing Joint service delivery, and /or Lead commissioning, and /or Pooled budget (making financial contributions to fund a specific service)

5. Section 31 partnerships currently in existence Section 31 agreements are in place for the following service areas Community Mental Health Teams – Joint service delivery (single management arrangements for Health and Social Care staff withBolton Salford and Trafrord MH Trust) Drug and Alcohol Team – Pooled Budget (PCT) Learning Difficulties Service – Pooled Budget (PCT) Community Equipment Services – Pooled Budget (PCT)

6. Pooled Budget - Contributions Drug and Alcohol Service –Health £1.9m –Salford City Council £0.4m Learning Difficulty Service –Health £8.6m –Salford City Council £8.7m Community Equipment Service –Health £1.3m –Salford City Council £1.1m

7. Benefits of Pooled Budgets Joint responsibility for managing the budget They promote joint working arrangements and shared ownership of defined service areas They quantify financial resources to be provided by each agency to allow better joint financial planning They allow resources to be jointly invested to meet common health and social care service objectives

8. Benefits of Pooled Budgets Partnership Boards have been developed as part of the governance arrangements for section 31 agreements to ensure user and carer involvement in planning, monitoring, reviewing and developing services. Service users are able to develop Health and Social Care systems to make sure they working to provide a cohesive / joined up service to the user Service investment is made transparent as each partner’s financial contribution is tracked throughout the life of the agreement

9. Constraints of Pooled Budgets Section 31 pooled budget arrangements represent a commitment of financial resources, which is quantified in an agreement. This constrains partners from independently reducing the revenue budget contribution to the specified service areas contained in the agreement, without consultation and discussion. Therefore, partner’s budget contribution can be tracked and disinvestment in service can be immediately identified.

10. Conclusions The policy objective, to create transparent joint investment, planning and management of services is served well by pooled budget arrangements. The tracking of partner contributions clearly and immediately identifies any dis-investment from service areas Each pooled budget agreement represents a common area of service between Health and Social Care The Governance arrangements – through Partnership Boards – allow service users and carers to be part of the service strategy, formation and delivery.