Minutes:
Simon Hairsnape introduced this item. The Health and Care System was most under pressure during winter making it necessary to have a clear Plan to ensure there were sufficient resources available to meet demand and for escalation if necessary.
The Worcestershire Health and Care Winter Plan had been agreed by the two health trusts, the Ambulance Trust, CCGs, and the County Councilthrough the Systems Resilience Group and formal sign off from NHS England was expected. Sandy Hogg, (Associate Director of Urgent Care Transformation and System Resilience) gave details to the Board.
Sandy explained that the Winter Plan was produced based on guidance from a number of national bodies. The plan referenced other plans such as the 'flu immunisation plan, the cold weather plan and last year's winter plan.
This year NHS England had issued System Resilience Funds back in March as part of CCG baselines and the money had been used to fund urgent care pathways, along with the Better Care Fund. An extra non-recurrent £250,000 would be made available for mental health liaison services.
All key services would operate seven days a week including over the Christmas holiday period. In the acute hospitals 60 additional beds with the necessary staffing would be opened - 28 additional beds were already open at Worcestershire Royal.
There were three main urgent care pathways for hospital discharge:
1. Discharge to home
2. Discharge to a community hospital or
3. Discharge to a care home for assessment
Discharge numbers were agreed every week and it was expected that numbers would increase over the winter.
The Plan also included arrangements for escalation as there may be surges in demand when other plans such as the infection control plan and the adverse weather plan, as well as additional action would be needed. Managers met twice a day to manage patient flow and Executives met weekly.
The Plan had been approved by the Systems Resilience Group and was now with NHS England for sign off. The Plan would be kept under active review.
In the ensuing discussion the following main points were made:
· It was clarified that there had been a review of last year's plan and activity so this year they were ensuring that front line staffing was in place and that there would be sufficient management oversight over Christmas and New Year. It was understood that maximising patient flow was important. Plans for escalation were being tested over the next few weeks,
· Additional beds had been made available at Worcestershire and there would be more at Redditch if they were required,
· It was important that communication reached the public so that they went to the most appropriate place for their needs rather than just attending A&E. All partners had signed up to the communication plan which included weekly press releases, posters, newsletters and emails to patient groups and encouraging staff to cascade messages to their families.
RESOLVED that the Health and Well-being Board:
a) noted the information regarding the development of the Health and Care Winter Plan; and
b) helped to cascade key communications messages.