Agenda item

To receive an update on progress with the preparation of the Sustainability and Transformation Plan.

(Sustainability and Transformation Plan Summary attached, presentation to follow)

The Chair welcomed back Sue Harris from Worcestershire Health and Care Trust and Sarah Smith from Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust who were in attendance at the meeting. 

The Committee received a presentation (copy of presentation slides attached at Appendix 1) from Ms Harris and Ms Smith on the preparation progress of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) further to their attendance at the Committee meeting of the 5^th July 2016.  Ms Smith advised that the STP had progressed significantly since the last presentation, the outcomes of which had led to a Draft Plan that Members had been issued with a summary of in their agenda papers.  The Chair reminded Members that a copy of the full Draft STP was available in the Group Rooms and electronically. 

Following the presentation, for which the Chair thanked Ms Smith and Ms Harris, further information was sought on a number of matters. 

Clarification was provided on who would have overall responsibility for the Plan and when it would be delivered.  Ms Harris reported that there would be a two year Plan cycle.  Collectively all Plans were required to be submitted by the end of December 2016 to enable operations to start in April 2017.  The Custodian Board for the STP would be the Health and Wellbeing Board.   It was noted that a Programme Board was due to meet the following week to consider the Governance Structure that would need to be worked through.  

Further information was given on the future of the Stroke Unit currently based a Worcester Royal with Members being informed that the Stroke Unit would remain at Worcester Royal for immediate acute care treatment.  There were, however, proposals to move post-stroke rehabilitation care to Evesham. 

Clarification was also provided in respect of Care in the Home, particularly in respect of the GP and carer’s involvement.  Ms Smith advised that GP’s were under a lot of pressure and that discussions were being undertaken to look into the issue with consideration being given to the feasibility of pooling  resources, including nurse practitioners, nursing staff and carers to redesign the provision of care in the home with the aim of enabling GP’s to have time to provide more specific care.   Members were advised that the STP was committed to providing care at home but that it would take time to develop and evidence what was needed to achieve the outcomes required. 

Additional information was discussed in relation to the finance challenges facing both Herefordshire and Worcestershire Trusts, in terms of identifying how to improve care and quality outcomes and remain within the financial allocations available.   It was suggested by Members that future housing developments and the potential implications for population growth should be taken into account as part of the plan process when considering demand for areas such as Maternity Services.   Members were informed that the STP was still a draft and there were a number of discussions to undertake, including more in-depth conversations with other Districts. In response to a query on whether there would be any current services that would not be delivered at all,  it was advised that whilst people would, of course, still be treated, procedures of limited value, such as fitting grommets, were being evaluated as part of the process.  

Also highlighted was the role of Community Hospitals and the need to draw in Connecting Families Services into discussions with a view to developing closer working partnerships to address the current fragmented service provision.  Ms Harris reported that it had become clear to all that the competition model rather than collaboration had not worked and that the evolution into the STP model had been recognised as the way forward.  

Ms Smith reported that Connecting Families would be picked up with General Practice matters as there was a need to drawn in everyone involved at a grass route level to have discussions on what was being done and what could be done better to move forward.  Detailed conversations with residents were also considered to be worthwhile to establish how they interacted with Health Services. 

The Chief Executive suggested that a Community Family model was needed.  Ms Smith and Ms Harris were requested to make sure that Borough and District Councils were not ignored in the development of the STP and that no opportunity for engagement was missed. 

On behalf of the Committee, the Chair thanked Ms Harris and Ms Smith for returning to update the Committee on the developing STP.  Ms Harris and Ms Smith offered to return with an update in the spring if the Committee wished. 

RESOLVED that

the presentation be noted.