Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 21
21
Accepted
Welcome new Better Care Fund objectives supporting preventative services over hospital discharge focus
Conclusion
We welcome the new objectives for the Better Care Fund to support preventative services, rather than simply focusing on solving challenges with hospital discharge. (Conclusion, Paragraph 111)
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the conclusion, stating it has committed £9 billion to the Better Care Fund (BCF) for 2025-26 and refocused its policy framework towards prevention and community-based care, setting new performance metrics. It is also considering longer-term reforms for 2026 and beyond.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
We agree with this recommendation. We have committed around £9 billion of funding to the BCF for 2025 to 2026, including increasing the NHS minimum contribution to adult social care and the Disabled Facilities Grant. Through the BCF policy framework for 2025 to 2026, we have refocused the BCF to align with the health mission objectives of moving from a focus on sickness to a focus on prevention, and from hospital-based care to community-based care. The 2025 to 2026 framework sets the expectation that the NHS and local authorities work together to improve performance against metrics for: • emergency hospital admissions for people aged 65 and over • average lengths of discharge delay • long-term admissions to residential care homes and nursing homes for people aged 65 and over As set out in the 2025 to 2026 framework, the government is considering options for longer-term reform of the BCF. We will set out the approach to the BCF for 2026 and beyond in due course, taking account of the 10 Year Health Plan.