Agenda item

The Committee will hear from representatives from Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust about their newly published clinical strategy.

Presenter:

Mr David Williams, Director of Strategy, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Mr Andrew McLaren, Chief Medical Officer, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Papers:

Covering report from Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Clinical Strategy

The Chairman welcomed Mr D Williams, Director of Strategy, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and Dr T Kenny, Director of Clinical Partnership, to the meeting.

During their presentation, the following main points were made.

·       Surveys with various key stakeholders and focus groups had been undertaken to help inform the strategy.

·       The strategy outlines a commitment to quality of care, with the aim of maintaining the CQC’s outstanding rating for compassionate care and to move the Trust’s overall rating to outstanding.

·       The core of strategy was also to improve the health & wellbeing of all Buckinghamshire communities and to help to keep older people at home for longer.

·       The Trust was one of the biggest employers across the county and the workforce was a heart of what it does.  Staff wellbeing was a priority for the Trust. 

·       The strategy aligns with the requirements put in place in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

·       A new paediatric department would be opening in April 2022.

·       The clinical strategy aimed to provide emergency services on one site and then planned services on another site.

·       The Trust was developing a community diagnostic hub at Amersham Hospital which would have extended hours and would move to 12 hours, 7 days a week, as necessitated by demand in the fullness of time.

·       The strategy also focussed on more Integration of community services so people with long-term health conditions could live more independently.

·       A new innovation centre would be opening to extend research, especially in terms of spinal injury care.  The Trust aimed to be nationally and internationally renowned for rehabilitation services for spinal injury patients.

·       Investment in digital care would help to ensure a better patient experience with more co-ordinated patient records and more services available online (as appropriate).

·       An Expression of interest had been made to the Government’s national hospital infrastructure programme to invest in new facilities to care for Buckinghamshire’s existing and growing population.  Further details would be available in the New Year once a decision had been made.  The public would be engaged on the options as these were developed.

During the discussion, Members asked the following questions.

·       A Member asked for clarification around the difference between a Trauma Centre and a Trauma Unit.   Dr Kenny explained that a trauma centre would handle the more serious illnesses that need more interventions, for example, cardiothoracic surgery patients.  A trauma unit would handle less complicated issues, such as broken limbs.

·       In response to questions about health inequalities, Mr Williams explained that waiting lists would be monitored by ethnicity and deprivation quintile to ensure inclusiveness.  The Trust had commissioned Healthwatch Bucks to work with individual groups to help improve inclusive care.

·       The Healthy Communities strategy was directly linked to health inequalities and each service within the Trust had been asked to outline their contribution to reducing health inequalities.

·       Members agreed to consider reviewing health inequalities as part of the Committee’s future work programme.

·       A Member raised concerns about the planned housing developments in Buckinghamshire and the increased demand for healthcare services. Mr Williams confirmed that the Trust were partners on the Council’s Growth Board.

·       The Chairman raised concerns about changes in primary care and cited the recent proposed closure of the surgery in Long Crendon and the proposed future primary care services in Lace Hill, Buckingham and emphasised the importance of healthcare planning.

·       A Member raised concerns around digital technology and accessibility of services, particularly for the most vulnerable patients. Mr Williams confirmed that face to face appointments were still being offered but he said that a lot of patients, who responded to the survey, said that they prefer virtual appointments, as it fits in better with their lifestyle.

·       A Member commented that providing a good workplace for staff is not mentioned in the strategy. Dr Kenny advised that the report focuses primarily on services provided to patients, but a comprehensive work programme for staff (‘Thrive’) was in place to ensure staff wellbeing.

·       A Member expressed concern that the recent surveys were carried out digitally and, therefore, excluded patients who have difficulties with accessing digital services. Dr Kenny explained that voluntary groups helped to distribute surveys and a number of focus groups were held to enable deeper conversations with specific groups.

·       Mr Williams acknowledged that more work needed to be done to ensure all patients were well represented and reiterated that gaining feedback was a continual activity.  Feedback was gained through the national inpatient surveys, the Friends and Family survey and through compliments and complaints made directly to the Trust.  There were also patient engagement groups who provided invaluable feedback on patient experiences.  The Chairman suggested that these sources needed to be referenced and reflected in the strategy document.

·       The importance of population health management had been highlighted throughout the pandemic.  Dr Kenny went on to say that the development of primary care networks had led to more collaborative working practices between primary and acute services.

·       The importance of the care navigator role in working with the Hospital Discharge team was acknowledged.

The Chairman thanked Dr Kenny and Mr Williams for attending and summarised that the development of the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care System (BOB ICS) would be key to delivering the clinical strategy, along with the Trust’s Estates Strategy, development and delivery of the Primary Care Networks and the strengthening of services within the community.  The Chairman confirmed that the Committee would be keeping a close eye on the strategy as it developed.