Issue - meetings

Report attached.

The Director of Strategy and Partnerships at BHRUT that change was needed to services due to demographic change in Outer North East London and the need to eliminate health inequalities. An appropriate workforce and hospital estate was required to achieve this and the collaboration work with Barts Health would assist with this aim.

The clinical strategy would consider the wider determinants of health and where services are located. There would be a collaborative approach to the strategy with the justification for proposals being shown. Whilst discussions were at an early stage, interviews and surveys were being held with residents, patients and stakeholders. A clear plan would be developed for the oversight and accountability of the clinical strategy. 

The Trust Medical Director agreed that BHRUT must engage with the community in the development of its services. There remained Covid-related constraints on services however which meant it was challenging to deliver the clinical strategy in the current period.

Members felt that the Trust should be flexible about processes and outcomes but it was important short term changes did not conflict with long term plans. Concern was raised however about the very low response rate to the residents’ survey. It was suggested that, if available, the draft Clinical Strategy should be brought to the next meeting of the Trust.

Officers responded that there had now been in excess of 1,000 responses to the survey but they were happy to share the Trust’s communication and engagement strategy. Work would take place with Healthwatch respond to concerns and challenges raised engagement on short term system changes. Officers were happy to hold further discussions with Healthwatch outside of the meeting.

It was agreed that, if the Clinical Strategy was available by the time of the Committee’s December 2021 meeting, it should be brought to that meeting for scrutiny.