Agenda item

Louise Dineley (East Kent Programme Director, Kent & Medway STP), Liz Shutler (Deputy Chief Executive & Director of Strategic Development and Capital Planning, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust), Michael Ridgwell (Programme Director, Kent and Medway STP), Matt Jones (Consultant Anaesthetist, East Kent Hospitals), Upaasna Garharran (Consultant Geriatrician and Acting Medical Director for Urgent Care, East Kent Hospitals) were in attendance for this item.

(1)   The Committee welcomed the viewing of the newly released NHS national nursing recruitment campaign filmed locally and showcasing local staff.

(2)   Ms Shutler presented the paper and informed the committee that preparations were underway for winter planning to ensure that the difficult winter would not be experienced again.  Investment was being made in models of care, ambulatory care, investment in beds, extending and increasing resuscitations in A & E and work to improve waiting times.

(3)   Members enquired about funding for the Dementia Village.

(4)   Ms Shutler reported that the funding had already been approved and that there was no risk to that.  It was an exciting project and would aid discharge through a different way of working.  It was based on a European model and they visited an example in Holland.  The proposed scheme was smaller in scale than some sites elsewhere in the country, but the aim was for it to be a long-term home, as well as offering respite services.  The facilities will use existing buildings at the back of Buckland Hospital, Dover.

(5)   Members welcomed the news that a local nursery could potentially be on site as evidence had shown that there was a healing and calming effect on the mixing of ages was beneficial and that this should be encouraged across Kent.

(6)   A Member enquired about the impact of personnel changes, the CQC news on reviewing scans in radiology and the potential for exploring the Dutch ambulance model for stroke provision, currently available in Essex.  In relation to the personnel changes question Ms Garharran confirmed that the Clinical Decision Unit Lead Consultant was not moving and that the evening out of numbers across William Harvey and the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital was completed successfully without moving substantive staff.  Concerning the CQC news article Ms Shutler informed the committee that two issues were being confused, the issue in question is in relation to a picture archiving and communication systems and the radiology information system and that there was an issue across Kent and Medway with the information system. The backlog has been caught up on very quickly and any backlog was within normal parameters.  Ms Shutler reassured the committee that there had been no patient harm arising from any delayed reporting of scans.  Mr Ridgwell said that the pilot in Essex was part of the national stroke programme and was being reviewed by the Kent and Medway Clinical Reference Group for stroke.

(7)   A Member asked about Ophthalmology providers in Dover and the progress on Tier 2 services in Canterbury and Dover.  Mr Ridgwell committed to provide an update to the committee.  The Chair expressed disappointment that Ms Selkirk had sent apologies and was not in attendance to  answer such questions.

(8)   A Member enquired about the financial position.  Ms Shutler stated that the Trust’s failure to meet the A & E target had resulted in it  being unable to access Sustainability and Transformation Fund monies which in turn had made the underlying deficit position more challenging. She explained that in order to sustain the workforce across  three sites, required to deliver the current services, there was a need to use agency and locum staff who were expensive. Mr Ridgwell explained that NHS organisation across Kent and Medway were looking to approach this problem collectively to avoid cost escalation.

(9)   RESOLVED that:

(a)   the report on East Kent Hospitals NHS University Foundation Trust be noted;

(b)   the committee welcomes the progress on the Dementia Village;

(c)    a written update be requested on the progress of the Ophthalmology Tier 2 Service in Canterbury and Dover, including the impact of follow up appointments;

(d)   be invited to provide an update in January 2019.