Agenda item

Clinical Commissioning Group Update

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

Minutes:

Dr Ian Orpen addressed the Select Committee. A copy of the update can be found on their Minute Book and as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary of the update is set out below.

 

A&E performance

 

Local system performance against the A&E waiting time target (95 per cent of attendees to be seen within four hours) during October was 81.7 per cent. The A&E Delivery Board continues to work on developing our plans for managing anticipated increases in activity and pressure during the coming months through the development of a system wide winter plan.

 

Winter Campaign

 

We are supporting roll out of the national Help Us Help You campaign this Winter. This family of campaigns includes NHS111 (which launched on 1 October), flu immunisation (launched 8 October), staying well in winter, pharmacy and extended GP hours, known as Improving Access.

 

Help Us Help You is based on the principle of reciprocity – by following their advice, patients can help GPs, pharmacists and other health professionals to help them stay well, prevent an illness getting worse, take the best course of action and get well again. Help Us Help You resource packs were sent out to all GP practices during October.

 

Improving access

 

From 1 October, patients in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) can book appointments with a local GP or nurse in the evening and at the weekend. These appointments will be offered at one of three existing local practices. All patients need to do to book an appointment is contact their surgery in the same way as usual. The practice receptionist will advise which surgery the appointment will be held at.

 

Greater collaboration between BaNES, Wiltshire and Swindon CCGs

 

BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Groups share ambitions and plans to work more closely together, maximising the benefits afforded by working collaboratively and commissioning at scale.

 

To enable progress towards this vision, at a meeting in common on 4 October 2018, the three CCGs’ Governing Bodies discussed four options for future arrangements for the commissioning and delivery of care services, recognising that some functions could be better done at scale to improve the consistency and quality of outcomes for patients, without losing local clinical decision making.

 

Of the four options proposed – no change; a formal joint committee for strategic issues; maintain three CCGs with one management team; formal merger of the three CCGs – the three Governing Bodies unanimously agreed that maintaining the three CCGs with one management team would be the most workable solution at this point in time.

 

A new joint accountable officer will be appointed early in the New Year and a single management team will be introduced from 1 April 2019.

 

Proposed relocation of national, specialised pain service

 

The Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust (RUH) is inviting feedback from those who use or have an interest in pain services currently provided at the Trust’s Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD) site.

 

The Trust is proposing to relocate these services to the RUH in summer 2019. Patients will have access to the same high quality services, provided by the same team, in a dedicated environment. This is part of a careful and phased approach to relocating all RNHRD services to the RUH or appropriate community settings, to maximise patient benefit.

 

The Trust is seeking views from patients, carers, healthcare partners and anyone who has an interest in pain services to help their planning and to ensure that they continue to provide the best services for current and future patients. More information and a brief survey is available on the RUH website.

 

The Chair asked if the CCG collaboration was being embarked upon as a cost saving exercise.

 

Dr Orpen replied that the move is not driven by costs and is intended to streamline processes.

 

Councillor Robin Moss asked if the CCG were inputting to the proposal to introduce a Clean Air Zone in Bath. He said that he had already received concerns from residents and voluntary sector representatives regarding the possible charges for travelling through it or the additional time it will take to navigate around it.

 

Dr Orpen replied that he was aware of the proposal and that the CCG were watching with great interest regarding any impending decision. He added that there was clear evidence of the harm that vehicle emissions have on the human body.

 

Councillor Tim Ball asked if he was aware of the possibility of the Renal Unit at the RUH closing rather than moving to a smaller area of the site as had been previously proposed.

 

Dr Orpen replied that he was not sure whether a final decision had yet been made, but would seek to find out further information for the Select Committee.

 

Councillor Bryan Organ asked if there had been an issue with the supply of flu vaccinations and whether they should be administered earlier in the year than November.

 

Dr Orpen replied that the ordering process for these vaccinations had changed this year which had led to a slight delay. He added that it was hoped that sufficient supplies would still be obtained. He said that with regard as to when best for the vaccination to be received it was not required as early as August as the primary number of cases were found to occur post-Christmas / early Spring.

 

The Chair thanked Dr Orpen for the update on behalf of the Select Committee.