Agenda item

(Background information attached and presentation to follow).

Prior to the commencement of this item, the Chair announced that it was anticipated that this item would finish at 7:30pm, as the guest speaker had a prior commitment.  The Chair requested that after the presentation he would suggest that any questions from the Committee were taken first, followed by questions from those Members sat in the public gallery.

Members were reminded that a written update on the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sustainability and Transformation Plan had been made available to all Redditch Borough Councillors.

The Chair then welcomed back Sue Harris from the Worcestershire Health and Care Trust to the meeting. 

The Committee received an update presentation (a copy of the presentation slides are attached at Appendix 1) from Ms Harris on the progress of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP).

Ms Harris reported that the STP refresh documents had now been published and would be distributed to Clinical Commissioning Groups in July 2017. 

There had been significant progress since her last presentation to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in December 2016.

The presentation covered:-

·         A reminder of what STPs are trying to do

·         Why? To address our Biggest Challenges

·         What we will focus on

·         A reminder of the journey so far

·         Engagement on the STP

·         Summary of Engagement Issues

·         Five Year Forward View Next Steps update

·         The main changes from November

·         Accountable Care Systems

·         Next steps

The footprint for Worcestershire was to work where it made sense, working in Bromsgrove, Redditch and also other specialist districts where needed.  The NHS was flat rate income funded and expenditure was increasing. It was hoped that by working together as organisations and patients and communities things could be done better for health and social care in Herefordshire and Worcestershire whilst achieving efficiencies; by supporting people to stay at home longer and using resources to prevent or support illnesses in different ways. 

Digital intervention was also being looked into, to enable patients to become increasingly confident in managing their own condition supported by useful and usable technology.

In response to questions from Members, Ms Harris highlighted that a Prevention Board had been established to specifically look at prevention and self care, which was seen as paramount.  A number of practical actions would come under the umbrella of the Prevention Board in order to help people make certain lifestyle changes.  Prevention and self care would help free up some valuable General Practitioners (GPs) time.

There were some differences and variations across the country between Minor Injuries Units (MIU’s) and Accident and Emergency services, such as waiting times, opening hours and the type of service offered.  There was a need to make sure that the workforces for both of these services had a good working relationship, so that people were given a clear understanding of what was available for each of these services. The potential for ‘scaling up’ MIU’s with GP practices was being looked at and standardised opening hours for MIU’s in Worcestershire.  The idea was to co-ordinate and standardise these services across the country, then inform and educate people by explaining each of the services and where best to go.

Members sought clarification as to how the STP was working with private companies who provided support for people with learning disabilities.  Ms Harris explained that the learning disability teams had held workshops across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. There was a small number of complex dual diagnosis, patients with learning disabilities and mental ill health, whereby general changes might impact on them.  Therefore Equality Impact Assessments would be factored into all services.    

Nationally communication was still a concern, communication teams were looking at introducing one specific NHS site that people could access for information on health care in their area.

Members were further informed that the delivery plans detailed the four national highest priorities:-

·         Urgent Care

·         Cancer

·         Primary Care

·         Mental Health

The creation of neighbourhood teams was happening now.  Neighbourhood teams included district nurses, social care workers and GPs all working together as a team. 

The priorities for transformation included:-

·         Back office and infrastructure.

·         Prevention and self care.

·         Extended primary and community services.

·         Specialist hospital care.

Ms Harris further informed the Committee that the year 2 and 3 plans were being worked through, and that GP practice access 7 days per week was currently being worked on.  She was happy to attend a future meeting of the Committee in order to provide further information on the year 2 and 3 plans.

The Committee noted that elected members were community leaders and as such it would be beneficial, once the STP was finalised, to brief elected members in order to utilise their community knowledge to get the right message on the STP to all residents.

Ms Harris welcomed the comment and understood the value of briefing elected members and was comfortable with the suggestion made.

Ms Harris further responded to questions from Members and explained that Wyre Valley and South Warwickshire were now part of the acute care chain. 

Some things did not work in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, so conversations were taking place with South Warwickshire, acute care in particular.  Ms Harris highlighted again that she was happy to return (in 3 months’ time) to provide the Committee with a more detailed 3 year delivery plan.

The Chair gave his sincere thanks to Ms Harris for her presentation and for returning to provide the Committee with an update on the draft STP.

RESOLVED that

the Democratic Services Officer be tasked to provide a copy of Ms Harris’s presentation slides to those elected Members unable to attend the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting.