Agenda item

Matthew Kershaw (Chief Executive, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust) and Liz Shutler (Director of Strategic Development and Capital Planning, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust) were in attendance for this item.

(1)       The Chairman welcomed the guests to the Committee. Ms Shutler began by providing an update about the model of care at Kent & Canterbury Hospital’s Emergency Care Centre. The Trust had worked with SECAmb to reinforce the criteria for patients conveyed to hospital who were severely inebriated, had a primary mental health condition and had abdominal pain that may require a general surgical assessment. The revised conveyance criteria was implemented on 9 May 2016 and was expected to affect 9 patients a week; patient flow was monitored on a daily basis.

(2)       She reported that the Trust had been working to design a primary care led Urgent Care Centre  where all patients who self-presented were triaged by a GP or nurse to the MIU, Urgent Care Centre or Acute Medical Unit; the Urgent Care Centre was due to be introduced on 6 July 2016. She stated that there had been a successful recruitment of GPs to cover during the day but acknowledged that the Trust was looking to use locums to cover the overnight period. She noted that the Trust had communicated changes to stakeholders; there had been less communication with the public  as the service provided by the Kent & Canterbury Hospital would remain unchanged for the majority of the public. The Trust and NHS Canterbury & Coastal CCG worked with Healthwatch Kent and the University of Kent on the communication plan.

(3)       Mr Kershaw noted that he had met with Health Education Kent, Surrey & Sussex and the GMC. He stated that his understanding was that if the new model of care and GP led Urgent Care Centre was implemented; Health Education Kent, Surrey & Sussex and the GMC would continue to support the provision of medical trainees at the Kent & Canterbury Hospital site.

(4)       Members enquired about the sustainability of services and patient choice. Mr Kershaw explained that the changes to the Emergency Care Centre was linked to East Kent Strategy Board and wider Kent and Medway Sustainability and Transformation Plan as part of the Trust’s developing clinical strategy. He stated that the Trust needed to take urgent action to ensure it continued to provide safe, sustainable and effective services. He highlighted the Trust’s increasing challenge in maintaining the consultant rota with 20 consultant vacancies including 10 emergency consultants. He noted that the Trust may need to make changes outside of the STP process and requested to provide an update to the Committee in July. He stated that patient choice remained but running the same services at multiple sites  such as vascular services was not sustainable and did not provide the best service for patients.

(5)       RESOLVED that:

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

(b)       East Kent Hospitals NHS University Foundation Trust be requested to organise an informal briefing about their Clinical Strategy for the Committee in July;

(c)        East Kent Hospitals NHS University Foundation Trust be requested to present an update to the Committee about its Clinical Strategy at its September meeting.

Cllr Lyons, in accordance with his Other Significant Interest as a Governor of East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, withdrew from the meeting following Liz Shutler’s presentation and took no part in the discussion or decision.