Agenda item

Ailsa Ogilvie, Chief Operating Officer, Thanet CCG introduced the item for discussion and gave an update on the NHS Strategic Transformation Plan (STP) and East Kent Delivery Board.

It was noted that:

·  There were some challenges facing the NHS;

o  These include an aging population;

o  Long term health conditions;

o  Significant funding gap of @ £28 Billion;

·  At the national level the response to these challenges is the 5 year Forward View and the establishment of the STP;

·  The focus is on:

o  Prevention;

o  Reaching people earlier;

o  Supporting people to self-manage;

o  Options for service re-design;

o  Focus to close the funding gap;

o  Focus on how we change the ways of working (for example in Thanet) in order to achieve greater results with less.

·  Emphasis is on collaboration between agencies (including commissioning groups);

·  Ambition is to narrow health inequalities;

·  Establishing strong local care to support  new hospital models;

·  The STP has gone to an initial public consultation that started in November 2016;

·  All work streams within the STP and EK Delivery Board are active including;

·  Mobilisation workshops have been scheduled;

·  Public engagement events with patient groups in Thanet are being planned for the out of hospital work stream;

·  Kent and Medway patient reference groups will be set up.

Maria Howdon, Head of Membership Development (NHS Thanet CCG) also led the second half of the presentation and made the provided the following practical updates:

·  Funding of work streams have been confirmed;

·  There is support for transformational process for the next 3 years;

·  Supporting practices on the ground to deliver the transformation;

·  Training for Receptionists, Medical Assistants to take on more administrative roles and free up medical practitioners;

·  Developing Innovative ways for staff recruitment and retention;

·  Awarded the Estate and Technology Transformation fund bid of £622,000, Improving digital infrastructure to improve mobile working using GPs clinical system and linking GP practices in the area;

·  Invest to improve access to primary care services;

·   Funding for Clinical Pharmacist roles in practices:  to support practices employ these professionals;

·  Nurse Associate Schemes – upskilling health assistants and create opportunities so that they can take on other duties and roles;

·  Develop and place other workforce options, like Physician Associates, Medical Assistants, Care Navigators and paramedic trainees within practices;

·  Support the Primary Care Homes Practitioners (specialised role for GPs and Nurses) role;

·  Premises Infrastructure development – this will cover Margate area (including conducting some feasibility studies at the Westwood Cross because of the housing development that has taken place in that area).

In summing up debate Board members said that the updates given at the meeting were good news. The public consultation to be conducted in mid-summer will give an opportunity for pre-consultation engagement. Thanet patients will be happy for decisions to be made at a local level. It was worth noting that more emphasis on self-care is important. Members felt very encouraged by these developments in particular the participation of patients at the earliest stages of the planning process. This approach adopts some of the aspects of the Esther Project thinking.

The Board further noted that the new models of working were very encouraging as highlighted by the Christmas bank holiday arrangement where patients could go to any surgery in the area (not necessarily where they are registered) and get help as those surgeries had access to patient data. This was a good intervention, encouraging and a demonstration that the new models were working. A new commissioning approach which would bring in one place the whole of remit of commissioning care and this would enable CCG to make necessary changes when needed.

Members agreed that Ms Ogilvie brings to the next meeting a report on the £75,000 funding for Thanet on ‘Non smoking during maternity.’

The Board noted the report.