Lochaber Health & Social Care Redesign

(Including the new Belford Hospital)

Communications & Engagement Sub-Group

DRAFT SUMMARY NOTES

Thursday 7th September 2017 (11 -12.30)

Conference Room, Fort William Health Centre

Present: / Maimie Thompson, Head of PR and Engagement (MT)
Rev Sandy Stoddart (SS)
Christine Hutchison (CH)
Emma Tayler (ET)
Flora McKee (FMK)
Patricia Jordan (PJ)
Apologies: / Liz MacDonald, Scottish Health Council (LMD)
John Hutchison (JH)
Fiona McGeachan (FM)
Ross Mackenzie (RM)
Summary Notes / Action Owner
1 / Welcome and Apologies
Apologies were noted. RM was due to come in by VC but connection not made.
Noted that PJ had submitted apologies for June meeting
2 / Notes of meeting held on 11th July
PJ was present at July meeting but otherwise notes approved. All Actions from the meeting on 11th July were discharged
3 / Project Management Arrangements
Maimie fed-back from the Steering Group confirming that the Project Management support is now in place. Gordon MacDonald will be the Project Manager and Gordon MacLeay will be the Clinical Adviser. They will have key roles in helping to prepare the Business Case starting with the preparation of the Initial Agreement document. This will include the outline of the services to be provided in new the hospital as well as the wider redesign of health and social care services. The Group felt that this was positive and asked for the appointments to be promoted.
Media Release / Social Media to be prepared and issued to local media
Prepare a simple time-line with key milestones and publish on website
Invite GM/GM to a future meeting / MT
MT/GM
MT
4 / Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Maimie confirmed that FAQ has now been issued, promoted via Media Release and Social Media and available on NHS Highland website.
Lochaber Health and Social Care
Wider discussion on how else to promote FAQ included
Distribution in local community newsletter
Circulate to all local Community Councillors / Councillors
Circulate to Steering Group
Circulate to churches
Hard copies to local libraries and Health Centres/Doctors Surgeries
Circulate to Highlife Highland Youth Team / Youth Sites
Circulate to staff
Individual contacts, as appropriate. / CH
ET/ MT
MT
SS
MT
ET
FM/MS
All
5 / Current and Future Services
Focus of the discussion was on outpatient services and gaining a better understanding of what services/ appointments were people travelling for and what could be done to reduce travel. MT explained the work to make better use of telephone, VC, and advice and support for GP. This will be progressed through the clinical group
There was interest in seeing some of the technology to support remote consultations such as ‘Attend Anywhere’. Maimie to find out best way to demonstrate / RM/GM
MT
6 / Feed-Back from Steering Group Meeting held on 17 August
Notes of meeting not yet available but CH and MT verbally fed-back. Brian Tregaskis, clinical lead for the Belford Hospital had explained to the steering group around some of the challenges around recruitment of consultants. At this stage in the business case process there will be a focus on what is going to be provided with work ongoing around how different staffing models would be achieved. This was also covered in recent media release issued by NHS Highland
Minutes to be circulated when available / MT
7 / Local issues and feed-back
SS reported back feed-back from a recent meeting of the Ballachulish Patient Participation Group that the GP Cluster Group (made up of local GPs who meet together regularly) suggested that the new Hospital will not provide 24 hour care. It was not clear what 24/7 services this was referring to but it was thought to be referring to A&E. MT confirmed there will be 24/7 A&E in the future model.
The FAQ will be sent to GPs and MT/RM will speak with Clinical Director around information being discussed at Cluster Meetings and how best to keep local GPs informed / MT/RM
8 / Strengthening Engagement
FM and ET fed-back on their group work to get feed-back on the draft FAQ. This went well and was generally well received with some helpful feed-back. Recognition that there needs to be arrange of approaches to raise awareness, engage and connect with different services users. Face to Face approaches would be beneficial
Agreed at this stage to prioritise engagement through existing structures that are in place such Community Planning Partnership and Community Councils
Contact with all CC and offer them to sit on the Communications and Engagement Sub-group
Offer to attend CC meeting and update on the proposals
Contact Community Planning Partnership and agree how to update on progress / MT
MT/RM
MT / RM
8 / Date of next Steering Group Meeting
9th November 2017 @ 11AM
Date of next communications and engagement meeting
Thursday 23rd November 2017 @ 11AM
It was agreed to hold the sub-group meeting after the main Steering Group but plea was made to have minutes of meeting in advance to allow appropriate discussion and action

Maimie Thompson

Draft issued 8th September 2017

Notes will be approved at the meeting held on 23rd November

Maimie Thompson (chair of communications and engagement sub group)

Head of PR and Engagement; 01463 704722;

Lochaber Health and Social Care Redesign