Agenda item

Rachel Jones (Director of Strategy and Business Development, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust) and Trish Hubbard (Divisional Director, Specialist Services Division, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust) were in attendance for the item.

(1)       The Chairman welcomed the guests to the Committee. Ms Jones began by stating that the three papers, under consideration, showed improvement at the Trust. She explained that the first paper was about the CQC inspection which had taken place in September; the report had been published in December 2016 and the Quality Summit had been held in January 2017. She noted that whilst the Trust’s rating remained as requiring improvement, there were no longer any areas rated as inadequate. She stated that the CQC had recommended that the Trust be removed from special measures and that a decision would be taken by NHS Improvement at the end of February. She reported that there were areas for improvement including recruiting and retaining staff, reducing waiting times and improved patient flows. She highlighted improvements to end of life care and an improved financial position.

(2)       Ms Hubbard provided an update regarding chemotherapy services in East Kent and the East Kent Cervical Screening Programme. She explained that chemotherapy services were moved from the William Harvey Hospital, Ashford to the Kent & Canterbury Hospital, Canterbury in June 2015 due to an emerging risk following a reduction of permanent workforce. She reported that staff retention had been improved and the service now had a full complement of staff. The service was due to move back to the William Harvey Hospital by the end of 2016 but this had been delayed due to the appointed construction company going into administration. She stated that the work would be completed by 6 March and the unit would reopen to patients by 13 March. With regards to Cervical Screening Programme, she noted that all the high priority actions regarding business continuity and leadership had been completed. The cytology service was expected to be achieving the 14 day turnaround time for results by April; it was currently at 19 days.

(3)       A Member enquired about due diligence undertaken by the Trust with regards to the company appointed to carry out the refurbishments who went into administration. Ms Jones stated that the Trust had complied with EU procurement requirements. The appointed contractor was an international construction company who had carried out major estates work across the Trust; the company had not shared their financial position with the Trust. Once the Trust had been notified about the company going into administration, it had moved quickly to reprocure the contract to minimise delays to this and other estate works.

(4)       In response to a specific question regarding extreme delays to discharge following a national news story, Ms Jones explained that the Trust had policies and procedures to ensure delays were kept to a minimum.  She stated that the story reported in the media regarding a patient who had waited two years to be discharged was a highly unusual case and the Trust did not have any patients who had been delayed by that length of time.

(5)       A number of comments were made about workforce. Ms Jones stated that whilst the Trust had difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff, there had been improvements to the staff satisfaction survey and family and friends test. She explained that reporting of continuous improvements assisted with this particularly if the Trust was to come out of special measures. She reported that commissioners and providers were working together to promote in Kent and Medway in a bid to attract staff.  Ms Jones committed to providing the Committee with information about the cost and number of agency staff. She stated that any reductions to agency staff would be invested in permanent staffing.

(6)       RESOLVED that the reports on the CQC Inspection, Chemotherapy Services in East Kent and East Kent Cervical Screening Programme be noted and the Trust be requested to provide an update to the Committee in six months.