Agenda item

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

Lucy Baker, Director of Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodivergence, Children and Young People and the Combined Place Team, BSW ICB introduced the report to the Panel and highlighted the following areas.

·  Restructure within the ICB continues and a period of assessing voluntary redundancy is ongoing. A commitment had been made to retaining a dedicated B&NES Place Director.

·  During the first full weekend of 2026, each of the region’s hospital emergency departments saw a surge in people attending, with the Royal United Hospital in Bath seeing 881 people between Friday 2nd and Sunday 4th January.

·  An additional 20 beds have been commissioned at St Martins Hospital in Bath to provide further community capacity between the end of December and the end of March. These beds are now open with good patient flow and clear clinical admission criteria.

·  A number of paediatric acute respiratory illness hubs are now up and running across BSW and are helping to provide additional community-based care, while also giving families with poorly children an alternative to hospital. As of Thursday 18th December, a total of 242 children and young people had been seen in one of the new hubs, which will remain in place until the end of February.

Councillor Paul Crossley referred to the uptake of the flu vaccine among health and care workers and said he maintained his view that these figures were still too low and asked if it was known why and whether staff were still being encouraged to be vaccinated.

Lucy Baker replied that figures for the RUH (61%) were above the national (46%) and said that it does continue to be promoted. She said that she would seek what information could be obtained from acute providers.

Councillor Joanna Wright stated that she was still awaiting a response from the ICB from questions relating to abortion and contraception figures.

Lucy Baker replied that she was aware that a response has been sought and would aim for it to be provided at the next meeting.

Councillor David Harding asked for assurance that rural areas would also be included in the proposed work of the Mobile Dental Clinics.

Lucy Baker replied that the aim will be to provide access to services where it is currently difficult to access. She added that the procurement process for the Clinics was just beginning.

Councillor Onkar Saini referred to the new mental health inpatient unit for people with a learning disability and/or autism and asked if staff have been recruited for the unit.

Lucy Baker replied that all posts have been recruited by AWP, including a dedicated outreach team.

Councillor Liz Hardman commented that the NHS capacity update was welcome and asked if the points mentioned in the update would continue after February.

Lucy Baker replied that the additional beds at St Martins Hospital would remain in place until the end of March, the paediatric respiratory hubs would continue until after February half term and that Hospital at Home would continue with its increased capacity.

Councillor Lesley Mansell said that she hoped that being shortlisted for an award would lead to further coproduction at the new mental health inpatient unit for people with a learning disability and/or autism and other future projects / work areas.

Lucy Baker replied that public involvement at the Kingfisher is intended to continue.

Councillor Mansell asked if the vaccination teams have used the Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) process to find out more information relating to take up. She also asked for EIAs carried out by the ICB to be published on their website.

Lucy Baker replied that she would relay this info and request to the relevant teams within the ICB.

Councillor Mansell asked if the results of the RUH Accident & Emergency usage survey were yet available.

Lucy Baker replied that she was sure that a summary of the survey results could be provided to the Panel.

The Chair asked if the RUH was experiencing the same levels of ‘corridor care’ as was being reported nationally.

Lucy Baker replied that yes, on some occasions it has. She added that risk is analysed on each individual basis and that daily conversations are held across the system regarding the issue.

The Chair thanked Lucy for the update and attending the meeting on behalf of the Panel.