Agenda and minutes

The Panel noted the attendance of the following substitute members:

Councillor Peacey for Councillor Mrs McCracken.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel held on 2 July 2015.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel meeting held on 2 July 2015 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Matters Arising

It was reported that South Central Ambulance Service’s investigations into the Daily Telegraph allegations were nearing a conclusion and the report would be made available to the Panel when it was finalised.

There were no declarations of interest nor any indications that Members would be participating whilst under the party whip.

There were no urgent items of business.

There were no submissions under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme for Overview and Scrutiny.

To receive an update from Sir Andrew Morris OBE, Chief Executive of Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust on the Trust’s progress, with particular reference to overcoming the weaknesses found by the Care Quality Commission at Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals.

Sir Andrew Morris, Chief Executive of Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust gave a presentation in respect of the Trust’s work to improve standards at Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals.

The presentation included an overview of the Trust’s objectives, performance and values as well as a summary of the work taking place at Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals to improve staff morale and productivity and planned improvements to the Trust’s estate and infrastructure.  The Trust employed 8,000 people and had the fourth busiest Accident and Emergency department in England.  Approximately one million people used the Trust’s services each year.  To facilitate the acquisition, and related works, the Department of Health had provided some £300 million to Frimley Health Trust.

As part of work to improve patient experiences at Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals the Trust had implemented a number of changes including: a new governance structure, a new serious incident process, WHO checklists for operations and the introduction of new guidelines and training for infection control, sepsis, falls and pressure sores.  The hospitals’ mortality and morbidity rates had been reviewed, cleanliness at the hospitals had been improved and work had taken place to free staff up to enable them to focus on caring more for patients. Work to improve staffing standards and raise staff morale was also underway.  This work was starting to pay dividends and the number of complaints received had halved since the Trust had been created (Currently 35 complaints a month were received compared to 70-80 a month in May 2014).

Work to improve the physical estate had taken place including roofing repairs, improving the security of Wexham Park Hospital at night and improving the signage across all sites.  There were also plans to create five hundred additional car parking spaces at Wexham Park and Frimley Hospitals.

Major infrastructure projects planned for the Trust included the development of a new Emergency Department, redevelopment of the maternity unit and the development of a Paediatric Critical Care Unit at Wexham Park Hospital.  Plans for a £63million redevelopment of Heatherwood Hospital which would see the creation of 6 operating theatres, 48 beds, 16 day case beds and new outpatients and diagnostics facilities had also been drawn up.  To enable these developments to occur it would be necessary to reconfigure the Wexham Park site and land would need to be sold from both sites to help fund any work.  It was expected that the modernisation of the Maternity unit would start in May 2016 and be completed within nine months.  The Emergency Department redevelopment at Wexham Park Hospital would, once underway, take between eighteen months and two years to complete and work was expected to start in autumn 2016.

It was acknowledged that there was more still to be done to improve standards at both hospitals however it was hoped that standards at Wexham Park had improved sufficiently for the hospital’s grading to move from Inadequate to Requires Improvement when the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected the Hospital on 13 October 2015.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

To give Members the opportunity to raise questions on the 2014-15 Annual Report of Healthwatch Bracknell Forest.

The Panel received the Healthwatch Bracknell Forest Annual Report.

The Annual Report was the second produced by Healthwatch Bracknell Forest and included an overview of the organisation’s remit, details of the work that had taken place during the year and plans for 2015/16.

The Panel’s attention was drawn to the statement that 202 individuals had been provided with signposting, advice and guidance during 2014/15. It was acknowledged that Healthwatch organisations in other areas were quoting much higher figures for the number of people assisted. This discrepancy was attributed to the fact that other areas were reporting the total number of contacts made rather than the number of individuals helped. When the number of contacts was counted the number of people helped by Healthwatch Bracknell Forest rose to over 6,200. An addendum would be added to the report to reflect this.

Healthwatch welcomed feedback on the health service provision in the Borough.

The Panel noted the report.

To consider the current information from the NHS Choices website, for the NHS Foundation Trusts providing most NHS services to Bracknell Forest residents.

The Panel received and noted a report providing a summary of recent inpatient surveys for hospitals providing services to Bracknell Forest residents and other relevant information from the NHS Choices website.

To consider the parts of the Quarter 1 2015/16 (April to June 2015) Quarterly Service Report of the Adult Social Care, Health and Housing Department relating to health issues.

Please bring the previously circulated Quarterly Service Report to the meeting.  Copies are available on request and attached to this agenda if viewed online.

The Panel received and noted the sections of the Adult Social Care, Health and Housing Department’s Quarter 1 (April to June 2015) Quarterly Service Report (QSR) relating to health.  The Director gave a progress update in respect of the Better care Fund and delayed discharges, which was a national issue.

It was reported that performance in all areas of Public Health continued to be strong and the following areas were of particular note:

·         Bracknell Forest residents enjoyed the highest successful smoking quit rates in the region

·         Bracknell Forest had recorded the highest year on year fall in the number who stopped smoking during pregnancy in the south east

·         The Borough had the lowest rate of alcohol related hospital admissions for young people in the region

·         The Borough had the highest health check delivery rates in the region

·         The Borough’s under sixteens had the lowest pregnancy rates in the region

·         The most recent trend data showed that smoking quit rates continued to rise in Bracknell Forest whilst rates were failing nationally.  There were two people quitting smoking in Bracknell Forest for every one person elsewhere in the Country

Work was underway to re-procure the Smoking Cessation Service for all the Berkshire unitary authorities, except for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead who had decided not to participate in the contract going forward.

The Falls Free for Life programme was currently carrying out thirty assessments a month and a number of referrals had been made to the Strength and Balance Classes as a result. A further thirty people identified as being at high risk from falls had been pre-emptively referred to a specialist falls clinic.

Whilst Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) was not an area traditionally covered by the Public Health function, the Public Health Team was working with providers to build capacity in the area and help reduce waiting lists, which currently stood at 20 months.  A key aspect of this work had been the introduction of KOOTH, an online counselling service offering a variety of services to children and young people.  The service had been launched in May 2015 and seventy young people were currently receiving support from the service.

It was reported that the Council had responded to a recent Department of Health consultation on the reduction of Public Health budgets. It was acknowledged that funding was likely to be reduced and alternative ways of delivering services would have to be developed.  If cuts were implemented then any savings would have to be made within the current financial year.

Arising from the panel’s questions and comments the following points were noted:

·         The Department had not yet received any reward money for its successful delivery of health checks from the Department of Health’s payment by results scheme.  It was unclear when any money would be received.

·         Whilst it sent a clear message, imposing a smoking ban on outdoor spaces had no significant impact on health or smoking levels

·         Data relating to the uptake of children’s flu vaccines  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

To consider scheduled Executive Key and Non-Key Decisions relating to health.

The Panel noted the forthcoming Executive ley and Non-Key Decisions relating to health.

It was noted that the new Health and Wellbeing Strategy was currently being consulted on and any comments would be welcomed.

To receive oral reports from Panel Members on their specialist roles since the last Panel meeting.

Members were asked to provide updates on their specialist roles since the Panel’s last meeting and the following points were noted:

Councillor Phillips – A meeting had taken place with the CCG to discuss their role in respect of Acute Trusts.  Analysis of a recent Local Government Ombudsman report had found that the majority of complaints were now being dealt with more effectively at a local level

Councillor Birch – Feedback from discussions with cancer patients had revealed that many felt that they were not being given as much information about their condition and its treatment as they would like.  High levels of anxiety were also being experienced by patients and this was an area that would be explored in more detail.

Councillor Mrs Mattick – As part of World Alzheimer’s Day a stand had been put up at Frimley Park Hospital to raise awareness of the condition and support available.  During Self-Care Week an event, No-one is an Island, would be held to raise awareness of dementia.  Councillor Mrs Mattick had attended the Berkshire Healthcare Trust Annual General Meeting.

Councillor Peacey – Had joined the Frimley Council of Governors who would be electing a new Chairman in the near future.

Councillor Hill – Commented on the shortage of GPs

Councillor Tullett – Was exploring the development of his understanding of long term medical conditions in the Borough and would be attending a NHS conference on the subject in the coming months.

Councillor Virgo – The South Central Ambulance Trust had discussed making better use of first responders and the possibility of proactively utilising the fire and rescue service to provide an integrated service at their recent Annual General Meeting.

Councillor Phillips – The Green Meadows Medical Practice had been graded as being Inadequate following a recent CQC inspection.  The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel had been contacted about the possibility of carrying out a joint review of the service which crossed the boroughs’ boundaries.

The Chair thanked all members for their feedback and work in their specialist areas.

To finalise the Panel’s work programme for 2015/16.

The Panel received a report setting out the proposed work programme for the Panel for 2015/16. 

Following consultation with members it had been agreed that the Panel’s work in 2015/16 would focus on the completion of any outstanding recommendations from the previous Working Group review of the Francis Report and a review of General Practitioner Capacity in the Borough.

It was agreed that dates for a meeting to scope out the General Practitioner Capacity Review would be circulated.

The next scheduled meeting of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel has been arranged for 14 January 2016.

It was noted that the next scheduled meeting of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel would take place on 14 January 2016 where the main substantive item was expected to be an update on the Public Health function.