Agenda item

Liz Shutler (Deputy Chief Executive, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT)), Lesley White (Director of Performance, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT)), Lizzie Worthen (Interim Head of Nursing for Children’s Services, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT)) and Caroline Selkirk (Managing Director, NHS East Kent CCGs)

(1)      Ms Shutler introduced the item by referring to an article in the Health Services Journal reporting that the Trust’s A&E times had been the most improved – just under 10% improvement and one of the top ten.  She said that she welcomed that the Trust and staff was being recognised for this achievement against the national picture. 

(2)      The Committee congratulated the Trust on that achievement.

(3)      Members enquired about finances, the role of an advanced care practitioners and the orthopaedics pilot.  Ms Shutler said that the Trust was currently going through a period of building and opening new capacity such as the new ward at the William Harvey Hospital, a new ward in Canterbury and new medical capacity as a result.  She added that to ensure that the Trust was winter ready they were having to use high cost agency staff and to address findings from the CQC report, additional staff were employed to children’s services.  Ms Shutler confirmed that this meant that it then added financial pressure to the Trust and impacted on its deficit.  She acknowledged that this was a system wide issue.

(4)      Ms Shutler said that the Trust was working closely with partner organisations and that step change was needed across the system and that local care would bring that.  She confirmed that efficiencies would still need to be made throughout the year and would work with commissioners to achieve this.

(5)      Ms Shutler informed the Committee that the advanced care practitioners were an exciting development and part as an overall business plan, with a second tranche being acute advanced care practitioners.  She continued that the Trust was looking at training a range of staff from all disciplines and nursing backgrounds and that it would aid difficult to recruit specialties.

(6)      Ms White highlighted that the service is led by two nurse consultants -   one based at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) and another at the William Harvey Hospital and that work was taking place with local universities on an accredited training course.  She said that the role would be over a range of disciplines and from different backgrounds.  Ms White continued that the first cohort had been trained and that they were working in accident and emergency and acute medicine. She said that this was a valued role and embedded in the recruitment plan, with a plan to bring them in to the middle grade rota and reduce dependency on doctors on high cost agency spend.

(7)      Ms Worthen said that the children’s advanced practitioner role had been in place for five years and front runners in the role.  She emphasised that this was an incredibly good way to use nursing personnel.

(8)      Ms Shutler informed the Committee that as a result of phase 1 of the orthopaedics pilot, a high number of patients had come through which had led to less cancellations and had had a positive impact.  She confirmed that a business case would be coming through for phase 2, which would look at additional capacity.

(9)      The Chair particularly welcomed the information on the Dementia Village and noted the open afternoon dates provided in the report.

(10)   RESOLVED that the report on East Kent Hospitals NHS University Foundation Trust be noted and that the Trust be requested to provide an update, including details of the staff survey findings, at the appropriate time.