Agenda item

Medway Clinical Commissioning Group's Operational Plan is closely aligned to the Kent and Medway Sustainability and Transformation Plan. The Operational Plan sets out the CCG's plans over the next two years and this report provides some highlights of the delivery against this plan during its first 10 months.

Discussion

The Committee was provided with an update on the first ten months of delivery of the CCG Operational Plan. The Plan set out nine must dos that CCGs were required to deliver by central Government. Key highlights of activities undertaken in the period included progress on the development of local care, the roll out of Pace Clinics (support for older adults), work with Kent Fire and Rescue Service on assessing the risk factors related to falling in older people and development of primary care services in order to deliver the NHS GP 5 Year Forward View programme. There were currently four healthy living centres in Medway with a further two being required. Minor illness clinics had been established in Rochester and Rainham and would be rolled out across Medway. Care Navigation services were also being developed. Significant work had been undertaken in relation to urgent and emergency care. Front door screening had been started with Medway Community Healthcare and Medway Foundation Trust, to identify patients who could be dealt with in primary care.

There had been much positive partnership working to reduce Delayed Transfers of Care of patients fit for discharge from hospital to the community. This had included one week in December where no patients had been delayed. There had been a significant reduction in the number of patients waiting over four hours to be seen in Accident and Emergency due to joint working undertaken with MFT. There had also been a reduction in the number of patients waiting for procedures. It was also noted that the winter months had been better than expected in relation to the provision of emergency care in Medway.

Medway Maritime Hospital had the only Accident and Emergency Department in Kent and Medway that had a 24 hour liaison psychiatry service and a number of specific services had been recommissioned during the previous 12 months.

A Committee Member asked what progress had been made in relation to the Kent and Medway Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) and said that it would be useful to see a timeline and financial appraisal of the implementation. The Member also noted that Accident and Emergency patients at Medway Maritime Hospital who exhibited mental health concerns were being quickly triaged but could then wait up to six and a half hours to be seen further. The Member asked for assurance that the problem had not been transferred to another part of the hospital. The Member also asked for updates on General Practice issues in relation to the availability of appointments at the Thorndike surgery and in relation to the St Mary’s Island practice.

The Chief Operating Officer of Medway NHS Clinical Commissioning Group advised that the next item on the agenda was related to the STP. There was a clear timetable for the reprocurement of local care with a planned go live date of 2021 and work taking place in advance of that, such as significant engagement activity. There was also ongoing consultation in relation to the Kent and Medway Stroke review. During the next year there was due to be a roll out multi-disciplinary teams e.g. those looking after the most frail patients. Extended 8 to 8 GP access was due to be delivered from 1 October and funding of £1million was available in the current year to expand the capacity of booked GP appointments. It was acknowledged that there had been some significant delays in the provision of A&E services at Medway Maritime Hospital for patients with mental health difficulties. Work was taking place with Medway Community Healthcare to address this. In relation to appointment availability at Thorndike surgery, work continued to take place to direct patients to the minor illness clinic when appropriate and it was anticipated that the roll out of 8 to 8 GP access would increase capacity. The St Mary’s Island GP practice had changed ownership and was now run by a practice that ran a number of sites in north Kent and Medway. Capacity had been significantly increased with positive feedback having been received from patients.

Decision

The Committee noted the progress on the delivery of the Operational Plan.