Agenda item

To receive the Urgent and Emergency Care Delivery Plan: Summary Briefing. (15 mins)

Dr Zylstra provided the Urgent and Emergency Care Delivery Plan: Summary Briefing.  The briefing outlined plans for a modernised and improved urgent and emergency care service as described in the Urgent and Emergency Care Delivery Plan published by NHS England in April 2017.  It also highlighted the proposed local response to the Plan.

During the discussion of this item, the following points were made:

·         The winters of 2015-2016 and 2016-17 had been particularly difficult. There had been a consistent failure to meet the 4 hour wait time for A&E across the country and increased demand for urgent care services.

·         Dr Zylstra outlined the seven priorities within the Urgent and Emergency Care Delivery Plan.

·         The NHS 111 service would be reviewed and updated and had been recommissioned across Thames Valley.  There would be improved clinical input in the call process.  How the clinical input would be implemented was discussed.

·         Board members were informed of the new integrated NHS 111 service for Thames Valley – the new ‘front door’ for urgent care which was due to go live shortly.  The service would offer access to a 24/7 urgent clinical assessment and treatment service and bring together NHS 111, GP out of hours and other clinical advice, including dental, medicines and mental health.  It was noted that the new service had been developed around the patient, with a team of clinicians available on the phone when needed, and would be linked into a new NHS Clinical Hub.  The Board asked how the changes would be communicated to the public.  Dr Winfield indicated that a soft roll out would take place and that it was important that clinicians and GPs were on board.  Patient communication would follow.

·         Expanding evening and weekend GP appointments to 50 per cent of the public by March 2018 and then 100 per cent by March 2019 was a priority.

·         Around 150 standardised ‘urgent treatment centres’ which would offer diagnostic and other services to those who do not require A&E attendance would be rolled out.  Whilst this would be considered as part of the development of the Berkshire West local plan, it was unlikely that there would be such a centre in the Borough.

·         By October 2017 there would be comprehensive front-door clinical screening at every acute hospital.  Streams would include: minor illness, minor injuries and ambulatory.

·         Dr Zylstra outlined the work which would be undertaken around Hospital at Home.

·         The recommendations of the Ambulance Response Programme would be implemented by October 2017, freeing up capacity for the service to increase their use of Hear & Treat and See & Treat, thereby conveying people to hospital only when clinically necessary.

·         Dr Zylstra highlighted some of the next steps that would be taken, including hospitals developing a more consistent interface with Councils for Drug and Alcohol services.

·         In response to a question from Nick Campbell-White, Dr Zylstra indicated that there would be a GP present at the front door of A&E from September.

·         Nick Campbell-White also questioned whether the A&E at the Royal Berkshire Hospital would be expanded.  Dr Winfield stated that funding had been received from NHS England to reconfigure the A&E department.

·         Clare Rebbeck questioned whether there continued to be proposals to introduce prescribing nurses into GP practices to help free up GP time and was informed that there was.

·         Clare Rebbeck informed the Board of an initiative regarding the winter crisis fund that Age UK Berkshire was hoping to put into place.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.