Agenda item

The Panel will receive an update from the B&NES, Swindon & Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (BSW ICB) on current issues.

Laura Ambler, Director of Place for Bath and North East Somerset, BSW ICB addressed the Panel and highlighted the following areas from within the update.

Update on Covid-19 spring booster vaccinations

All adults aged 75 and over, as well as those over the age of six months and living with a weakened immune system, are eligible for the free vaccination.

So far, since the vaccination drive began at the beginning of April, approximately 45 per cent of people eligible for a booster and living in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire have received their top-up vaccine.

For Bath and North East Somerset alone, the uptake currently stands at around 46 per cent, which is similar to what is being seen in Swindon and Wiltshire, and above the national average, which is approximately 36 per cent.

Vaccination appointments are still available and can be arranged either over the phone by calling 119 or online at www.nhs.uk/bookcovid .

Update on responses to the ICB’s Big A&E Survey

The Big A&E Survey went live in April and has, to date, been completed by 822 people.

The ICB is now working with Healthwatch to complete face-to-face surveys in each of the A&E departments throughout May, June and July.

Results will be used to develop a better understanding of what has driven walk-in visits to A&Es, and why people are visiting hospital rather than using other NHS services, such as GP surgeries, minor injury units or NHS 111.

The survey will run until the end of July, and a further update will be offered once results have been analysed.

Early data from the online survey has shown:

·  81 per cent agreed that they didn’t have any other choice of where to seek treatment but A&E, while 65 per cent said they went to A&E as they felt their condition was serious or life threatening

·  79 per cent of respondents did not think they should have attended somewhere else other than A&E

·  Most people visiting A&E travelled from within a five-mile radius

Drop-in sessions planned for people to find out more about new Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre

Opportunities to find out more about the new and exciting Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre will be happening at community locations throughout the spring and summer months.

Representatives from the local NHS will be on hand at drop-in sessions taking place in and around Trowbridge to provide residents with information about the new centre, which is currently being built on land opposite the town’s existing community hospital.

The first drop-in session will be held on Friday 9 May at the Asda supermarket in the Shires shopping centre on Bythesea Road between 11am and 3pm.

Members of the public will be able to see images of the new centre, learn more about what services will be moving to the site and how the new facility will benefit Trowbridge and the surrounding areas.

There will also be opportunities to ask questions and share feedback.

Councillor David Harding asked how the Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre would be staffed.

Laura Ambler replied that there would be a transfer of services from Trowbridge Hospital and that the intention was to have multi-discipline teams on site.

Councillor Harding referred to the A&E Survey and asked if the responses were proportionate in respect of the numbers of people attending from within a five-mile radius, given the rural population of B&NES.

He also asked if similar surveys had been carried out in the past so that comparisons could be made.

Laura Ambler replied that she would feed those points back to colleagues and said that the five-mile radius figure was attributable to the 822 respondents to the survey.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked what the Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre was replacing and was one being planned within B&NES.

Laura Ambler replied that services were relocating into a modern facility that would enable co-location of services to be possible. She added that co-location options across BSW were being looked at and would be reliant on capital funding.

Councillor Hardman said that she felt it was important to analyse the location of all the respondents to the survey.

Laura Ambler replied that the data would be analysed in order to identify the drivers for attending.

Kevin Burnett referred to the Covid-19 spring booster vaccinations and asked if there was a target for the number of people they were trying to reach.

Laura Ambler replied that there wasn’t a target figure, but a focus on specific cohorts.

Kevin Burnett asked what benefits the Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre has for the residents of B&NES.

Laura Ambler replied that B&NES residents would be able to access the centre through being part of the BSW footprint. She added she would provide a web link that would enable the Panel to view further information.

Councillor Joanna Wright asked if the current number of B&NES residents with Covid-19 was known, similarly the figures for those who have Measles, Mumps or Rubella (MMR).

Laura Ambler replied that she did not have to hand the hospital numbers for those with Covid-19 and said that it was not routinely reported on anymore across the local population. She said that she would consult colleagues with regard to the figures relating to MMR.

Councillor Lesley Mansell said that she would be interested to hear more information about the A&E Survey, especially in relation to equalities data.

Laura Ambler replied that the intention is to have the equality data from the survey as complete as possible.

Councillor Mansell asked if it was yet known of any planned changes in respect of the 50% cuts that were mentioned in a previous meeting of the Panel.

Laura Ambler replied that they hoped to be able to provided more of an update in June and reminded the Panel that this was in respect of a 50% reduction in running costs for the ICB and not related to contract(s) with HCRG or any other body.

Councillor Mansell asked why HCRG were not officially recognising any of the Trade Unions.

Laura Ambler replied that several meetings were held with Unions whilst the contract award was ongoing and added that HCRG were not in a position to recognise one single union as representative of all staff.

The Chair asked if having received 822 responses to the A&E Survey, how many people had actually attended A&E over this time period.

Laura Ambler replied that she would attempt to find out that information for the Panel.

The Chair asked if there was any update to be given regarding the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to use their powers to call in the BSW ICB’s proposed changes to community-based care in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire, particularly the appointment of HCRG Care Group, which was raised in March.

Laura Ambler replied that there was no update to be given at the present time.

The Chair, on behalf of the Panel, thanked Laura for attending and the BSW ICB for their update.