Agenda item

This report provides a further update on the transformation of maternity services taking place across Kent and Medway, including the work of the Kent and Medway “Local Maternity System (LMS)” and the Kent and Medway Local Maternity System Transformation Plan, which was submitted to NHS England in October 2017.

Discussion:

The Committee received a report, which set out a further update on the transformation of Maternity Services taking place across Kent and Medway, including the work of the Kent and Medway Local Maternity System (LMS) and the Kent and Medway Local Maternity System Transformation Plan, which was submitted to NHS England in October 2017. It was noted that NHS England had provided positive feedback on the Plan with some areas of improvement required. The Committee was advised that the improvements required would be included in the next iteration of the Plan.

The Partnership Commissioning Lead, Children and Family Services drew the Committee’s attention to the comments of the Health and Wellbeing Board held on 7 November 2017. In particular, it was noted that the figure for stillbirths in Medway had now been clarified and would be included in the next iteration of the Plan, which would be submitted to NHS England by 31 December 2018. The Committee was assured that this figure was low and was below the national average. In addition, it was confirmed that information relating to alcohol pregnancy Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) would be included in a future iteration of the Plan.

Members thanked the Partnership Commissioning Lead, Children and Family Services for an informative report and raised a number of points and questions including:

·         Bereavement Suite – With reference to a lack of a private place to grieve a stillbirth at hospital, it was explained that following patient feedback, Medway Foundation Trust had developed a Bereavement Suite which was located outside of the Delivery Suite, where parents could spend uninterrupted time with their child in a compassionate environment.

·         Adult Substance Misuse – In response to a question from a Member about why drug dependency had not been included within the Plan, the Committee was advised that there were established protocols for adult substance misuse and that the risk would be assessed by the midwife. The Partnership Commissioning Lead, Children and Family Services undertook to include adult substance misuse in a future iteration of the Plan. The Director of Public Health further explained that it was the responsibility of the Council to commission drug and alcohol services, this service had recently been procured and the Director of Public Health assured the Committee he would link these services to the work within the Kent and Medway LMS.

·         Children with Disabilities – Following a question enquiring why children with disabilities were not reflected within the Plan, the Partnership Commissioning Lead, Children and Family Services reiterated the formation of the Plan was an iterative process and undertook to review what ought to be included in liaison with the Medway Parents and Carers Forum and include this within future iterations.

·         Maternity Voice Partnerships – The Partnership Commissioning Lead, Children and Family Services confirmed women and family voices from both Kent and Medway would be represented within the Kent and Medway LMS. It was added that previously, Medway had a Maternity Services Liaison Committee. This was a forum for service users and professionals that helped to deliver important change in maternity services. Under the Kent and Medway LMS the proposals included three Maternity Voice Partnerships to cover Kent and Medway. Medway would be covered under the North Kent branch. This work stream was supported financially by NHS England.

·         Kent and Medway LMS website – At the request of a Member, the Partnership Commissioning Lead, Children and Family Services undertook to provide details of the Kent and Medway LMS website when it went live.

·         Neonatal unit – A Member commented that Medway had an excellent Neonatal facility, and asked why this had not been reflected in the Plan. It was advised that the Kent and Medway LMS Service was governed by the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) and the arrangements for the wider LMS i.e. the use of the skills, capacity and resources that Medway had, had not yet been formalised within the Plan or the wider context of the STP.

·         National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines – In relation to a question from a Member regarding the inconsistent application of the NICE guidelines, the Committee was advised that a national template for a revised maternity specification would be released imminently and would be reviewed by the Commissioners. Under the new specification providers would be expected to follow the NICE guidelines as part of the specification and contract.

·         Data transfer – With reference to examples of poor data transfer, a Member sought assurances that the data shared between the Kent and Medway Acute Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups would be reliable. It was advised that much of the information held was paper based. The Partnership Commissioning Lead, Children and Family Services assured the Committee that data issues would be addressed and managed under the necessary workstream within the Kent and Medway LMS, in particular moving to electronic records.

Decision:

The Committee noted the Kent and Medway Local Maternity System Transformation Plan, set out at Appendix A to the report, which has been submitted to NHS England for approval.