- Chief Operating Officer, Havering CCG.
Minutes:
Vanguard Programme – It was confirmed that the CCG, with partners, had successfully bid to develop a Vanguard programme, the only such project in London dealing with urgent and emergency care. The CCG had organised a conference on these issues in July 2015 which had concluded that new technology needed to be used more in urgent care. There were too many unnecessary patients at both A & E and GPs and it had also been found that it was necessary to join up relevant pathways and invest in the workforce.
The CCG had jointly bid for the Vanguard programme as part of the System Resilience Group and in conjunction with the GP Federation, NELFT and Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. The bid was based around a concept of ‘click-call-come in- whereby people could firstly use technology to self-care or to book appointments direct. NHS 111 was seen as a gateway to the system and would have a directory of services available that could be used by its staff and other health professionals. More serious cases would still be asked to attend A & E or an Urgent Care Centre where necessary.
The bid formed a two-year programme for the local health economy. It was planned to develop a new care model by March 2016, involving both residents and local clinicians in this work. Work to move to the new system was planned to begin by October 2016 and new contracts and pricing would be developed by March 2017. Full implementation of the new system was anticipated by March 2017. This work would be funded by the award of a share of a National Transformation Fund.
A local launch of the Vanguard was planned for mid-October 2015 which would be open to stakeholders. It was accepted that more promotion of this area was needed with, for example, use of Facebook to promote the ‘Not Always A&E’ message. Youtube and mobile phone applications could also be used. The Healthwatch Havering Chairman added that it was important to ensure that the Vanguard contracts fully reflected what people wanted from services before messages were publicised in the community.
Richmond Fellowship services – It was confirmed that the CCG had decoded to reprovide some employment support services provided to mental health services users. Meetings were held quarterly with the new provider – Richmond Fellowship and feedback from service users had been positive. The service target had been to give support to 300 service users in the first year but 254 service users had been assisted in the first six months alone. Officers would supply details of the numbers of service users who had gone on to employment, education, training or volunteering and it was also agreed to seek to set up a visit to the Richmond Fellowship Havering base in order that the Sub-Committee could discuss the services offered directly. More information on the indicators used to assess the performance of the Richmond Fellowship.
Everyone Counts – The CCG had been encouraging this programme to develop GO services for the over 75s. Sixty schemes had been approved by GPs which would be monitored by the CCG. Examples included schemes introducing health assessments at home by GP practice staff.
Other issues – The CCG and Health & Wellbeing Board had been nominated for an APSE award for their system resilience work and the CCG’s work on end of life care had also been recognised. The CCG’s work on co-commissioning of GP services was also progressing.
The Sub-Committee NOTED the update.