Report of the Clincical Commissioning Groups

The Accountable Officer, the Head of Transformation at Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent CCGs and the Communications and Engagement Service Partner NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit were in attendance to provide an update report and presentation on the system-wide transformation programme. The Accountable Officer also gave a verbal update on the Cannock Minor Injuries Unit (MIU).

The Cannock MIU was closed temporarily at the start the pandemic and was yet to re-open. Members were assured that the CCG was fully committed to re-opening Cannock MIU and was considering options.  The Royal Wolverhampton Trust was not in a position to resume staffing it and a procurement exercise would be required to find a provider. CCG had faced challenges because there were widespread workforce issues due to Covid sickness and the skill set required to staff MIU’s was in short supply and in great demand.  CCG aimed to re-open Cannock MIU in June 2022, Members noted that the future of all Urgent and Emergency Care Services would be consulted on later in the year. An update report would be provided to the next meeting 11 April 2022.

In terms of the system wide transformation programme, an update was provided and detail about the processes and timelines were shared. Committee understood that since reporting on involvement activity Autumn 2021 there had been further changes to the transformation programme:

• As a result of new Government guidance, development of community diagnostic centres had been added and residents had been engaged.

·       Some projects had been uncoupled from the programme to enable them to progress.

• Some projects were still paused
• Some projects were being sense checked to ensure consultation feedback from July 2019 was still relevant post Covid, that new guidance had been taken into account and that feedback on changes during Covid was included.

The Committee noted the following comments and responses to questions:

·       Members felt that the number of consultation responses were relatively low. CCG advised that it was working to encourage better uptake and that digital and social media involvement activity would be taken forward. Also, that CCG aimed to work with Healthwatch and voluntary organisations and welcomed suggestions from members for other methods to encourage uptake, including the suggestion to engage service users.

·       In terms of the Urgent and Emergency Care Programme all emergency care portals would be considered as part of the options appraisal.

·       Members highlighted the need for mental health providers to share details of pathways, to signpost where to access mental health support both direct and via voluntary sector support.

·       The Case for Change (2019) set out the clinical model for Integrated Care Hubs (ICH) which were focussed on long term conditions. Consultation on ICHs in North Staffordshire was starting soon.

·       It was understood that good community involvement required a connection to trusted voices in communities. During the pandemic community leaders had been working closely with partners. CCG was exploring with HW and VSCE colleagues both how to connect with communities and how to identify funding to set up surveys and engagement activities.

·       Members were assured that there were pilot schemes and discussions underway to build alliances and long-term relationships between HW, VAST, Support Staffordshire and the Integrated Care System (ICS). Members expressed they wanted to be involved in supporting ICS in communities to link to community leaders as part of the process.

·       Members highlighted the importance of reliability and value of data in the options appraisal to inform decision making for the George Bryan Centre. Assurance was given that the information gathering process was the same as used in other work, and that a range of evidence and impact assessments had been taken into account in the development of proposals. The stakeholder session to consider the proposal for the George Bryan Centre later that day would provide a sense check and would take into account the findings. The business case would go through an assurance process and be reported to committee in Summer 2022.

·       Members understood that local intelligence and knowledge of trusted voices in the community was the best way to reach out and were assured that links were being built in to processes to speak to all communities.

·       In relation to difficult decisions, committee were assured that a consistent approach would be taken across Staffordshire for residents of all geographical areas. CCG gave assurance that national and local guidance was referred to and kept up to date to ensure prioritisation and clarity of key design criteria. It was confirmed that health inequalities and the equality duty were taken into account.  There was consistency of approach in terms of service provision and being mindful in terms of access to services.

The Chair thanked presenters for the update.

Resolved:

1. That the Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee received the reports of findings in the Transformation Programme update report and requested a report to a future meeting to consider the final proposals.

2. That an update report relating to Cannock MIU be provided to the next meeting of the Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee.