Agenda item

The BSW Partnership has been developing the BSW Health and Care Model as the strategic vision for the BSW Partnership. We have previously provided updates on our public engagement exercise which took place in November and December 2021. We can now present the full engagement report and the updated version of the model.

Geoff Underwood, Programme Director for Strategy and Transformation, NHS South, Central and West introduced this item to the Panel and said that an updated version of the model would be circulated after the meeting.

Councillor Liz Hardman said that she had noted some cynicism from respondents about the ability to deliver on the model and also that the model is being driven by the need to reduce pressure rather than transform residents’ experience of health care.

She added that in the context of the huge pressures on the NHS right now, was it right to put NHS staff under additional pressure at this time to deliver on the priorities set out in the model and were we raising expectations within our communities that the way in which care is delivered will change when the reality is that long waiting times are going to be with us for some considerable time and access to a GP will remain difficult.

Richard Smale, BSW CCG Director of Strategy & Transformation replied that short term pressures do exist but that the care model looks at prevention and improvements to personalised care and the need to provide these at scale. He said that this was a large piece of work to navigate and that it must be carefully managed across all our agencies.

Councillor Hardman asked if there was enough money available to deliver the proposals within the model.

Richard Smale replied that they will need to look at how the funds available are used and this may include collaboration and use of resources in a different way, including the use of collective assets.

Kevin Burnett asked if this work was sparked by proposals to develop the RUH site.

Simon Cook, Shaping a Healthier Future Programme Director replied that it had been triggered by the opportunity to bid for investment in the RUH site and that developing the model of care over the next ten years then became the focus to ensure that the proposals supported a future model of care, not simply how care is delivered today.

He said that this was an opportunity to change processes within many services.

Kevin Burnett asked if there was a deadline for the bids in relation to the development of the RUH site.

Simon Cook replied that details would be submitted to a meeting of the RUH Board next month and that there currently was no national programme deadline. He added that the Trust will look to benefit from any capital funding that becomes available.

He said that he could not guarantee when a decision on funding would be given, but felt there was an advantage to being ready sooner than some areas. He added that the proposals should be supportable from a Planning perspective, also because they were based upon a future model of care that had received good engagement, and that the Trust had a good track record in terms of delivery, such as with the Cancer Centre which is currently being built.

The Chairman asked to be reminded of the amount of funding they were hoping to receive.

Simon Cook replied that the opening bid applied for to improve the hospital site had been £450m but that there was no longer a fixed amount to bid for. He said that the Trust was now in the process of setting its 10 – 15 year programme of investment in infrastructure.

Councillor Andy Wait asked if the survey had been targeted towards any specific geographical areas.

Geoff Underwood that it had been an open online survey that they sought to publicise as widely as possible.

Councillor Wait commented that he was concerned that dentists were not currently able to accept any new NHS patients.

Richard Smale replied that NHS Dentistry is managed regionally at the present time, but was likely to move more locally within the next year and it was acknowledged that work was required to improve this matter if possible.

The Chairman commented that going forward the work with regard to the preventative agenda was noted. He also asked for an understanding that they be aware that the use of digital technology would not work for all residents.

The Panel RESOLVED to note the engagement report and updated health and care model.