Issue - meetings

That the Committee notes the update and receives a quarterly update on the management of outstanding Continuing Health Care invoices raised by the Council for payment by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

The Senior Manager (Safeguarding and Commissioning) presented an update on current long-term debt with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) in respect of the delivery of NHS Continuing Health Care packages in Flintshire.

As at 20 December 2023, outstanding invoices totalled £0.470m which reflected a slight increase since September.  This amount comprised £0.047m of unpaid short-term debt from invoices overdue between 2-11 days which were due to be paid shortly.  Invoices dated one year and over totalling £0.163m were currently being worked on (a reduction in this debt of £0.020m since the previous report).  The remaining £0.261m of outstanding invoices related to four individuals subject to the arbitration process (a reduction in this debt of £0.012m since the previous report).  As a further update, positive progress was being made in relation to two significant cases which would improve the position further.  Members were assured that the process put in place to manage outstanding invoices continued.

In response to a query by Councillor David Coggins Cogan, the Senior Manager spoke about the challenges relating to historic cases and anticipated further progress on the remaining arbitration cases in the forthcoming months.

The Chair referred to the second recommendation in the report and instead proposed that future updates be received quarterly to monitor progress with the arbitration cases until the Committee was comfortable to move to annual updates.  He was seconded by Councillor Bernie Attridge.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee notes the update and receives a quarterly update on the management of outstanding Continuing Health Care invoices raised by the Council for payment by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.