Agenda item

Sarah Andrews, Director of Nursing and Infection Prevention & Control, Karen Benbow, Deputy Director of Provider Development and Assurance Carol Cassam, Head of Infection Control from Eastern & Coastal Kent PCT and Philip Greenhill, Chief Operating Officer, Sue Baldwin, Assistant Director of Adult Clinical Services and Joan Maudsley, Head of Infection Prevention from Eastern & Coastal Kent Community Services were in attendance for this item.

(1)               Ms Andrews introduced the team attending the meeting and explained that they represented the two arms of the Primary Care Trust as commissioners through the Eastern & Coastal Kent Primary Care Trust and as a provider through the Eastern & Coastal Kent Community Services.

(2)               Mr Greenhill informed the Committee that they, Eastern & Coastal Kent Community Services, were a separate organisation and employed some 3,500 people.  They were largely a home based service.  The Community Services organisation had their own management and governance arrangements. 

(3)               In answer to a Member question about screening Ms Andrews said that it was appropriate that screening took place in context.  As a commissioner it was about having clear standards in place and looking at all opportunities to increase screening.  She added that the Eastern & Coastal Kent PCT were on track for universal screening.

(4)               Ms Maudsley referred the Committee to a letter which set out new guidelines for screening.  She said that screening is not a control mechanism.  She added that there were no cases of MRSA in the community hospitals.  80% of MRSA is transferred into the community hospitals from the Acute Trusts and others come straight from the community.

(5)               In answer to a question about C Difficile the Committee were informed that within the Eastern & Coastal Kent PCT boundaries there were six community hospitals and there had been 18 cases of C Difficile in two years, seven last year and this year five cases.  Asked by a Member how many of those five patients were out of a total the Committee were informed that that information was not readily available at this meeting.  The Member was keen to explore the incidents of cases of infection within Eastern & Coastal Kent PCT area community hospitals with the community hospitals in other parts of the county. 

(6)               In answer to a series of questions about prevention and how the Trusts could be more proactive in training staff about good practice in terms of hygiene and hand washing Ms Andrews answered that there was very little extra funding available for this activity.  However, the Trust were working with the care home sector and recognised that education and training on the Hygiene Code were key.  Ms Andrews referred the Committee to the establishment of the Care Quality Commission as from 1 April 2009 which would have clear standards set out for providers.  She added that patient through-put through hospitals was quicker than it had been in the past and the length of stay briefer.   The challenge was to undertake the best of the modern world and some of the better aspects of the past.  There was a correlation between modern nursing methods and some of the old disciplines from nursing which she had been brought up with. 

(7)               With regard to the Community Services operation Mr Greenhill informed the Committee that within his service there was dedicated nurses’ team and a dedicated community matron team.  Ms Baldwin informed the Committee of the key relationship between students and support to ensure that there were standards of quality care.  She informed the Committee of how the students acquired the skills within a competency framework.  Ms Maudsley said that training was mandatory and she talked about the methods of training for hand hygiene and the Infection Control module taken by Matrons through the University of Greenwich. 

(8)               Asked about the morale of staff Ms Baldwin said that when there were incidences of C Difficile morale was very low because staff felt they had failed but now they take pride in what they do. 

(9)               Finally in answer to some questions about how GPs and staff within nursing homes are trained Ms Andrews responded that it was difficult to have any impact on the independent sector.