Agenda item

Caroline Selkirk (Managing Director, East Kent CCGs) was in attendance for this item.

(1)          The Chair welcomed Ms Selkirk to the Committee.  Ms Selkirk introduced the item by informing the committee that the four east Kent CCGs had been placed in special measures – four CCGS were rated inadequate and 1 requires improvement.  As part of the process an improvement plan is being implemented and NHS England monitor progress regularly.  She emphasised that this was not the same as being in legal direction so NHS England could not directly instruct them.

(2)          Ms Selkirk said that this had been anticipated and changes were beginning to be implemented through a detailed improvement plan.  In September many NHS committee meetings across east Kent were taking place.  It was recognised that working with an acute and community provider across the whole of east Kent, separate messages from four CCGs was not helpful and not the best way to buy the right services for the population and there was a need to see what was going on in terms of a place based approach.  She emphasised that working with partners was key to this.

(3)          Members commented on collaborative working, finance and patient safety, including overnight care.  Ms Selkirk said that there was greater recognition that problems could be solved by closer working, allowing local conversations to be a lot more local.   In relation to finance, she said the main concern was addressing waste variation and harm which were driving  efficiencies, with the main aim being to provide the very best service. Effective hospital bed management was an example of this.  Integrated care was changing the balance of how services were provided, with more care at home to make patients feel safe and comfortable.  All providers were working together on different models.

(4)          Ms Selkirk said in her view provision of overnight care staff was available but that it was not enough and that in terms of hospital provision they didn’t have enough people in the right beds to help people more.  Staffing was an issue across the whole system, with the medical school being incredibly important but that would take time to deliver.  International recruitment of GPs had resulted in recruitment of three GPs across Kent.  Work was being completed to collectively grow the market for support at home and social isolation and loneliness was demonstrating a need to grow the volunteer base around the vulnerable. 

(5)          A Member referred to the Kent County Council Select Committee on Loneliness and Social Isolation and requested any statistics collected would be beneficial.  Ms Selkirk committed to do that.

(6)          Mr Inett and Members asked about social prescribing and connections with communities.  Ms Selkirk said that the east Kent Committee avoided duplication were giving benefits of learning and make time available for staff to spend time in practices and the local agenda.    Social Prescribing was of great benefit and the work that Kent County Council was conducting on the Community Navigation Service was incredibly important.  Ms Selkirk informed the Committee that communications with the public were circulated on a regular basis with engagement events leading to changes being made. 

(7)          The Chair emphasised that she believed that publicity needed to be wider.

(8)          A Member asked about an indication of when the CCGs would come out of special measures.  Ms Selkirk said that NHS England carry out an annual assessment following moderation usually in July with ratings publicised between July and September.

(9)          RESOLVED that:

(a)  the report on the East Kent CCGs be noted;

(b)  a written summary report on the financial recovery plan be provided to the committee as soon as possible;

(c)  an update be presented to the committee in six months.