Agenda item

The Council considered a report of the Corporate Director of Adult and Health Services which sought approval to create a Head of Integrated Strategic Commissioning (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Corporate Director of Adult and Health Services informed the Council that the post would be jointly funded between the County Council and the Durham Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), in response to the development of a Health and Social Care Plan for County Durham and specifically the development of an Integrated Strategic Commissioning function. The anticipated benefits of integrated commission were outlined for the attention of the Council.

In Moving the report Councillor L Hovvels explained that County Durham had a strong track record of partnership working, particularly within Health and Social Care where significant progress had been made in recent years in improving outcomes for local people. Most recently the Council had included an integrated approach to governance arrangements, integrated community services and taken a proactive approach in caring for communities. The benefits of working in an integrated way were clear, minimised duplication and maximised skills of the combined workforce. The next phase of the integration journey would see the introduction of the integrated commissioning function and would enable Durham County Council and the Durham Clinical Commissioning Groups to work collectively in terms of commissioning health, social care and public health services to meet the needs of the local communities. It was a complex and challenging area of work, requiring strong leadership which demonstrated the importance of the post.

Councillor O Gunn, Seconded the proposal and explained that area of work had a very clear focus. The new function was all-age and would include the commission of services for children and young people. This would be extremely important in terms of enabling the children’s health agenda and the appointment would be an important part of taking such areas of work forward on behalf of the Council and the CCGs.

Councillor J Shuttleworth, referring to the austerity regime, explained that the Council had reduced the number of Heads of Service, however, the last eighteen months had seen the creation of five posts. The post in question would cost £151,000 per year including on-costs and sought clarification regarding the salary costs associated with the appointment.

In response the Corporate Director of Adult and Health Services informed the Council that the post had been job evaluated in line with the job profile included within the report and the post was being jointly funded with the CCGSs.

Upon a vote being taken it was

Resolved

That the Council approve the establishment of a Head of Integrated Strategic Commissioning within Adult and Health Services, at Head of Service Band 1, to be jointly funded by Durham County Council and North Durham and Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield Clinical Commissioning Groups.