Agenda item

BSW CCG Update

The Panel will receive an update from the B&NES, Swindon & Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BSW CCG) on current issues.

Minutes:

Dr Brynn Bird, B&NES Locality Clinical Chair addressed the Panel. 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.

 

Merger of Bath and North east Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire CCGs

 

The merger of Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire CCGs took place on 1st of April 2020.

 

The newly merged CCG serves a combined population of 934,000 and will maintain its roots in local communities and continue to be driven by local clinicians from the 94 practices across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW).

 

Operating at scale across BSW means strategically commissioning services and reducing variation in care so everyone receives high quality treatment, regardless of where they live.

 

BSW CCG, as part of the wider BSW STP Partnership, is working towards becoming an Integrated Care System (ICS) by April 2021 and will be assessed by NHS England in November.

 

Response to coronavirus

 

As part of our initial response to coronavirus, BSW CCG quickly established an Incident Coordination Centre to oversee our health response to the pandemic.

 

An organisation-wide response to manage coronavirus was also introduced with new work-stream programme management arrangements to ensure a focus on maintaining critical services. 

 

In BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire, a Community Response Hub was established to provide a local response to coronavirus and to support community services and care home providers.

 

Reset and recovery of local services post coronavirus

 

Services across all providers in BSW were significantly scaled back during the start of the coronavirus pandemic, following the government’s decision to pause all non-urgent healthcare services and redirect 100 per cent of the NHS’s  efforts and resources into responding to what was, and still is, an unprecedented challenge.

 

However, at the end of April 2020, following a sustained period during which the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus continued to fall, Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England, issued an open letter that requested all NHS systems to use the next six weeks to look at restarting non-urgent activity.

 

Work is underway across BSW to find the best approach to restarting, resetting and recovering our services, bearing in mind all of the time, that we need to reassure the public that services are always available for those in need and that services are clean and safe to use.

 

We will do this through a coordinated communications approach using social media, radio interviews, print and online coverage, videos and paid-for advertising. Working closely with both clinical and commissioner colleagues, the CCG will produce messaging and content specific to cancer, cardiovascular, mental health, maternity and outpatient services.

 

Nightingale hospital

 

Another part of the local response to coronavirus was the rapid building and opening of a new Nightingale hospital at the University of West of England Frenchay campus in Bristol. The new facility is one of seven across the country.

 

Work began on the 300 bed facility on 3 April and the unit officially opened less than three week later. The extra capacity was put in place so that existing hospitals in BSW and across the whole South West would be able to cope with the anticipated spike in demand while still meeting the needs of existing patients.

 

Black Lives Matter response

 

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has gained prominence over the past few months and has highlighted the inequalities that exist for Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority Communities, an issue which has become even more important considering the high proportion of members of BAME communities that have been affected and are at increased risk from coronavirus.

 

BSW CCG has been active in its response to this issue. We were one of a number of organisations across B&NES to pledge support for the campaign via a joint statement alongside Bath & North East Somerset Council, the RUH, Curo, the University of Bath, Bath Spa University and Avon and Somerset Police and Avon Fire and Rescue Service.

 

Councillor Eleanor Jackson asked if it was known when services at Paulton Hospital would return to normal.

 

Dr Brynn Bird replied that he was aware that shielding and infection control was still in place on site and that there was no access to regular walk-in facilities, such as X-rays. He added that he could not give a timeline at this stage for when services would return to normal.

 

Councillor Jackson commented that she was concerned at the lack of cancer screening appointments that were taking place.

 

Dr Bird replied that the two week wait pathway had not changed, but acknowledged that numbers were down and that this had been expected. He said that as much as possible they have been trying to say to members of the public that it is business as normal for many services.

 

Councillor Jess David asked what plans were being put in place to administer the Winter Flu Vaccine over the coming months.

 

Dr Brynn Bird replied that the CCG have been pro-active on this issue and are seeking to put plans in place. He said that this may come in the form of specific Saturday appointments or provision of the use of alternative sites. He added that discussions were ongoing with all surgeries.

 

Kevin Burnett asked if he knew what autonomy Public Health has locally to direct operations during the ongoing crisis.

 

Dr Brynn Bird replied that there was a degree of local autonomy and that specific responses had been put in place following meetings of the Health Protection Committee that meets weekly.

 

Kevin Burnett asked if any other uses have been considered for the Nightingale Hospital whilst it is not active in terms of the pandemic.

 

Dr Bird replied that some proposals have been considered but added that none of these had been resource light.

 

Councillor Paul May asked for his view on cross boundary joint working arrangements and integration.

 

Dr Bird replied that he worked across multiple borders and said that the focus on integration was Mental Health, Physical Health and Social Care.

 

The Chairman thanked him on behalf of the Panel for his update.