Agenda item

The Panel will receive an update from the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on current issues.

Dr Ian Orpen (Chair of the CCG) introduced the report by explaining some of the terms used.  He was delighted to report that the Urgent Care Centre was operational since 1^st April and was enabling prompt treatment while taking the strain off the emergency department.  He pointed out that the latest GP Patient Survey showed that Bath & NE Somerset had the best access to GP services in the country.  He promised the Panel a more detailed response in September to the transport issues raised by Priscilla Elton but in the meantime he introduced Derek Laird, National Director of Operations, Arriva, and asked the Chair if Derek could address the Panel.

Derek Laird explained that the transport contract had only been operating for 6 months and the demand for transport had been much greater than had been specified in the tender invitation.  The contract had replaced 34 separate contracts, so the data had been difficult to Significant progress had been made but there was still much to do and this would have his full attention.  An added complication was the need for different types of transport tailored to each patient’s needs.  He was working closely with the commissioners to resolve this.  Dr Ian Orpen agreed that the resolution of this was also a priority for the RUH.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson reported that when she and Councillor Clarke had met with care providers, they had complained that their own appointments were being disrupted because they were not being advised when patients would be late home from hospital.  She asked whether some communication could be arranged to prevent this.  Derek Laird agreed that this was important and he would report on it in September.

Councillor Sarah Bevan asked if parking at RUH was a problem for drivers and if they had been getting parking tickets.  She was assured that this was not a problem because Arriva drivers worked well with the RUH on this.

Councillor Kate Simmons referred to the need to get the right balance of car and ambulance provision in the service.  She asked whether information had been made available to Arriva about this.  Derek Laird said that Arriva would not have had any advance information on this because the data was previously spread across 34 separate contracts and in fact the contract was started with all new vehicles.

Councillor Anthony Clarke asked Dr Ian Orpen whether the CCG had started preparations for the provision of GP services in Fox Hill following the new development.  Dr Orpen reported that there had already been some discussions; although the CCG did not deliver primary care, it might have a view on some issues.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson observed that the Panel had in the past been critical of the failings of the 111 service, which she felt was now working much better.  She was concerned however that when given a hospital appointment through 111, it was often the case that the hospital was not aware of the appointment when the patient arrived.  This was obviously a common experience because she had seen signs in the hospital warning patients that this might happen.  Dr Orpen asked Councillor Jackson to provide him with more information so that he could investigate.  He reported however that 95% of patients were seen within 25 minutes.

Councillor Neil Butters said he was pleased that the Urgent Care Centre had been successful.  He asked how the numbers had compared to the James Street West facility.  Dr Orpen explained that the new facility was not intended to soak up existing demand so the figures could not be compared.  In the first 3 months however, usage of the Urgent Care Centre rose from 750 in April to 950 in June.  A “streaming” nurse immediately directed each patient to the appropriate service – in some cases to Emergency, in other cases to their GP – without the need to wait for triage.

Councillor Vic Pritchard referred to the previous meeting of the Panel at which Tracey Cox had agreed to take away the comments made by Councillor Clarke relating to military personnel and veterans.  He asked whether this had been done.  Tracey Cox apologised to the Panel that this had not been pursued but agreed to report back to the Panel at its next meeting.

The Chair thanked Dr Ian Orpen for his update.