Agenda item

Report attached.

The Chair in Common of BHRUT and Barts Health advised that a clinical performance director had been seconded to BHRUT. Joint work was also taking place on areas such as the thoracoscopy service. Pay rates of temporary staff were being harmonised and closer working on backroom functions was also being put in place across the Trusts. Capacity would be shared in order to reduce waiting lists.

The new Intensive Treatment Unit at Queen’s was due to open that week which it was felt would improve staff recruitment and retention. Digital support was improving and a new electronic patient records system was being developed at BHRUT. There was now improved financial stability at BHRUT and a new Chief Executive Officer would be appointed at Barts Health. The two Trusts would however remain separate organisations.

Patient flows from Essex were monitored by BHRUT and the Trust Chief Executive confirmed that he wished to improve treatment pathways with Essex. Other developments included the Trusts collaborating on respiratory work to make more use of local anaesthetic and the trauma centre at the Royal London Hospital helping to improve survival rates. Similarly, the Hyper Acute Stroke Unit at Queens was producing better outcomes for stroke patients.

Officers emphasised that it was not necessary for services to move towards Inner North East London. It was important that teams for e.g. complex heart surgery had as much experience as possible.

A Member raised the poor recent figures for waits in the Queens Emergency Department where only 25% of patients were being seen within 4 hours. The BHRUT Chief Executive responded that the Trust as a whole was achieving around 65% for the 4 hour target compared to a London average of 72%. The Queen’s Emergency Department had recently been praised in a Care Quality Commission inspection. The separate Covid Emergency Department at Queens had now been closed with all patients now treated again in the one department. A pilot scheme to reopen capacity was in progress but it was accepted that waiting times were likely to increase in the next year.

The Chair in Common wished to support the new and permanent Chief Executive of BHRUT in making improvements and would remain accountable to the Joint Committee re the improvements. The intention of the collaboration across the Trusts was not to move services but to make them more accessible to local people. Any move of services would be consulted upon.

A representative of the North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) explained that collaborative working was also being developed on mental health pathways. This had included female psychiatric intensive care and it was confirmed all in-patients could be placed locally. High intensity mental health care for children was delivered at home where possible. A Joint Chair would be appointed for NELFT and the East London NHS Foundation Trust.

Age, gender and ethnicity data was collected for mental health in-patients and this could be provided for admissions data. Any safeguarding issues would also be raised. Post discharge support was available from the Home Treatment Team.

As regards primary care, the Outline Business Care for the St George’s health hub had been passed in October 2021 and public consultation had finished on 14 February. There had been as good response to the consultation which had expressed support for the development. It was hoped the facility would be open in 2024. The centre would be open 8 am – 8 pm, seven days per week and would include two GP practices and diagnostic facilities. Further literature on the plans for the St George’s site could be provided.

A workforce strategy was being compiled that would allow the hub to develop its own staff. It was hoped to open the new facility in 2024. Funding for the redevelopment would be mainly from the National Hospitals Programme with the remainder from internal NHS resources.

The Joint Committee noted the position.