Agenda item

Caroline Selkirk (Managing Director, East Kent CCGs), Louise Dineley (East Kent Programme Director), and Anne Neale (Deputy Director of Strategy and Business Development, EKHUFT)

(1)       The Chair welcomed the guests to the Committee. In response to a question about the circulation of the letter from the Medical Directors to Paul Carter regarding the number of A&Es in East Kent, the Chair advised the Committee that the letter had been received but needed to be reviewed prior to its circulation. Ms Dineley apologised for the delay in providing the letter.

(2)       Ms Neale explained that the Keogh guidelines had been used to establish the medium list of options which required ten consultants at each site supported by junior medical staff. She stated that the current number of consultants on each site was two. She noted that the Trust had faced difficulties in maintaining three emergency medical takes in conjunction with providing the required supervision and training for junior doctors which had resulted in the removal of junior doctors from the Kent & Canterbury site. Ms Neale stressed to the Committee that there was not the workforce to deliver A&E services on three sites. She reported that the uncertainty around the future configuration of acute services was hampering recruitment. She highlighted that a review was being undertaken to look at how different competencies and skills could be used to provide different elements of care to patients across the health economy. 

(3)       The Chair enquired about the expected timetable for the programme, Ms Selkirk explained that commissioners undertaking a service reconfiguration had to undergo a detailed assurance process set out by NHS England before a service change could be implemented. She noted that NHS England had published updated guidance in March 2018 on service reconfiguration which included an additional assurance stage for proposals which required capital investment. She stated that the next stage for East Kent was the development of a robust and comprehensive pre-consultation business case (PCBC); external consultants had been appointed to complete a readiness assessment which would be used to develop a timetable.

(4)       Members commented about the Design by Dialogue event held in March 2018. Ms Selkirk explained that a series of pre-engagement events were planned for each locality in East Kent and would provide more detail on local care models, activity and finance based on the feedback from the Design by Dialogue event.

(5)       Mr Inett enquired about the implementation of local care and the potential for further emergency transfer of services.  Ms Selkirk stressed the importance of the process being carried out robustly. She stated that it would take three years for local care to be fully implemented. She noted that each CCG was signing-off their local care story and would be presented at local design by dialogue events. She noted the importance of capturing feedback from the engagement events.

(6)       RESOLVED that:

(a)       the Committee note the report;

(b)       the East Kent CCGs provide a short verbal update about the timeline at the June meeting;

(c)        the Scrutiny Research Officer provide the Committee with a briefing note about NHS assurance process for service change and reconfiguration.