Agenda item

Report and correspondence with Joint Committee attached.

East London Health & Care Partnership officers provided the Joint Committee with an overview and context around how bed numbers needed to be viewed. The presentation also detailed the plans in place for some of the developments that the partnership have going forward in terms of investment and infrastructure.

The difficulties in providing an accurate number of beds was particularly because the hospital sites across the North East London were different in nature. It was stated that many sites have lots of the beds that were used for either London wide or even national specialty centres.

The partnership officers outlined a commitment to continue to invest in services and estate across North East London.  It was stated that each hospital in North East London was different and cannot be fairly compared since each site does not have the same estate, clinical or workforce capacity.

The number of beds in use at any hospital changed daily depending on the numbers of patients, the type of care required and safe staffing needs. It was also stated that some hospitals provided very specialist care such as St Bartholomew’s Hospital whilst other hospitals have been designated for people across London with a heart attack or stroke. Furthermore, some hospital beds were used as part of national networks by patients outside north East and Greater London.

The Royal London Hospital was identified as a major acute and specialist hospital that offers a range of local and specialist services to patients from across all areas of North East London and beyond. The hospital is noted as one of the capital's leading trauma and emergency care facilities as well as a hyper-acute stroke centre.

The report detailed some key developments and progress that included successful funding bids for major projects at St George’s Hospital, Hornchurch, Whipps Cross Hospital and Sutherland Road Health Centre in Waltham Forest. The plans also included a £24million investment to expand critical care at the Royal London. All North East London Hospital Trusts had received £13.2 million funding to spend across sites in preparation for winter. An additional £15 million was specifically targeted for King George hospital over the next two years.

The presentation pointed out the fact that the response to COVID-19 changed the way that the partnership undertakes its work and that it was now planning in a more coordinated way. The partnership had been able to step up its COVID-19 19 response which includeed infection prevention, control and additional capacity being provided across the system.

It was explained that the future arrangements reinforced the point about how specific  developments in particular sites were not exclusive to the locations that they were in but were part of the wider system resilience.

The presentation outlined various tables of funding and investment over a four year period. The Committee was informed that the funding indicated two key messages; firstly the substantial cash increase which although had corrected what was an historical imbalance was by no means sufficient to overturn a long legacy of underinvestment. Members noted that the funding would not fix things overnight but going forward, it would create better opportunity to resolve these issues.

Secondly, it was stated that although the table showed a substantial cash increase, it was important to note that the cash increase only took the BHR CCGs up to the funding level where they should have been originally.

In response to a member enquiry on consulting and engaging with areas in South West Essex for new facilities or new services, Partnership officers confirmed that colleagues the South West Essex would be fully engaged in any such planning. It was further explained that in terms of planning capital investments and facilities, the service would need to take into account the catchment area covering the whole of the geography that those sites would serve.

A member sought clarification on the core concerns about the concentration of facilities in central London enquiring if this would result in better standards of care for local residents. It was suggested that the committee should undertake further scrutiny work on this area in 2021.

Members sought further assurance that as the NELCA Accountable Officer was leaving, that there would still be sufficient system leadership capacity in 2021. In response the committee was informed that the current Chief Finance Officer’s deputy would be stepping into the vacant position in an acting capacity to maintain a level of consistency.

It was agreed that the Joint Committee would keep close scrutiny on the new ways of working and how the partnership move towards one larger CCG for North East London.