Meeting documents

This will include an update regarding the proposed 6% Cuts to Community Pharmacy Services.

Attached are the letters from the Secretary of State for Health the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP to the Rt Hon John Bercow MP and the letter from the Rt Hon Cheryl Gillan MP to Cllr Angela Macpherson.

In addition an update on Mandeville Surgery where Locum GP cover on Thursdays and Fridays is causing concern amongst residents.

The Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes Healthcare Review

The Chairman has been advised that the cancelled 14^th June meeting of the Joint Health Care Review Board had not been re-convened as the team wanted to ensure alignment with Sustainability and Transformation Plans. A revised decision making timetable would be presented by the HCR team at the next HASC meeting on 6^th September.

Moving Closer to Home Pilot

The Chairman had met with the Chief Executive of Buckinghamshire Healthcare Trust (BHT) to express support for the pilot project.

(See Appendices 2 and 3)

Provision of Communications and Engagement Services to Aylesbury Vale and Chiltern Clinical Commissioning Groups

Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC) and the Aylesbury Vale and Chiltern Clinical Commissioning Groups (‘the CCG’) had established an agreement for a shared communications and engagement service, hosted by BCC.  The decision was ratified by the County Council on 25^th July.

Mandeville Practice

Concerns were raised with Mr B Adams regarding Mandeville Practice use of locum GP cover on a Thursday and Friday. 

Responses were sought from the Practice Manager who stated that:

 ‘I am sure you are aware of the challenging situation Mandeville has been experiencing and working through over the last 12 months, together with the national problem experienced by GP surgeries nationwide with regard to GP recruitment and retention.  Following The Practice U Surgeries Limited taking over the practice on 1st April, 2016 we have steadily been increasing our regular GP clinics.  Yes, like all other GP practices, we do need to use the services of locum or self-employed GP’s but we work very hard to ensure we have regular self-employed GPs to ensure patient continuity.  Our employed GPs work sessions across the week.  A new employed GP started with us recently and another will commence at the beginning of August to further support our current team.’

In addition the Head of Primary Care NHS Chiltern and Aylesbury Vale CCGs stated that:

‘Recruitment and retention is a national problem for primary care. Like many other practices, Mandeville Surgery has suffered recruitment issues. Throughout this difficult period the practice has remained clinically staffed although it has had to resort to employing locum staff at times.

A successful recruitment campaign has resulted in the employment of 2 new GPs and an Advanced Nurse Practitioner. We are pleased to report that from September 2016 the practice will be able to provide the local population with 50 – 52 GP sessions a week and will no longer be reliant upon locum clinical staff. This should increase the availability of patient appointments and improve the overall patient experience.

On the day appointments with a clinician continue to be available for patients morning and afternoon five days a week. However the surgery does recognise that there has been some irregularity regarding the number of emergency appointments available each day due to clinical capacity. With the addition of the newly appointed clinical staff this imbalance should resolve. From September 2016 a consistent number of on the day appointments will be made available from Monday to Friday. It is worth noting that on days when a high patient demand is expected we would anticipate a larger number of emergency appointments will be made available than on quieter days.

Currently at Mandeville Surgery the average waiting time for a routine GP appointment is 2 days, with emergency appointments being made available sooner. Further, the surgery aims to open for extended hours in the near future which will further help with the availability of appointments.’

See Appendix 4 for a copy of the letter from the Head of Primary Care to Aylesbury Vale Town Council.

Closure of Ridgeway Centre 

Concern was expressed that HASC had not been consulted and assurances were sought regarding impact of closure, the number of Buckinghamshire residents affected and details regarding Dove Ward.

Mrs L Patten made the following points:

·         Dove Ward, part of the Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust was in Garston and not far from the Ridgeway Centre. 

·         As a result of ongoing issues with the previous provider Southern Health Foundation Trust, the CCG had sought an alternative provider.

·         Hertfordshire Foundation Trust had been selected as it was felt a much better option for patients in the longer term.

·         The decision had taken into consideration new models of care which looked to support people in their homes, rather than being in-patient services.

·         There was low usage of Ridgeway beds by Buckinghamshire residents and the CCG needed to factor in wrap around care which Dove Ward provide.

·         The CGG needed to consider the quality of care for a small and reducing number in-patients from Buckinghamshire (two currently used the service).

HASC discussed how to ensure earlier sight of issues and Mrs Patten suggested the CCG could provide regular information on current issues at the Committee.

(See Appendix 5 attached for further information)

ACTION: Committee and Governance Adviser to liaise with the CCG to arrange a visit for HASC Members to Dove Ward.