Proposed Comments Relating to Local Health Trusts Annual Health Check Declarations

BOROUGH OF POOLE

HEALTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

13 FEBRUARY 2007

THE HEALTHCARE COMMISSION’S ANNUAL HEALTH CHECK

PROPOSED COMMENTS RELATING TO LOCAL HEALTH TRUSTS ANNUAL HEALTH CHECK DECLARATIONS

1.PURPOSE

1.1 To propose formal comments from the Borough of Poole Health Scrutiny

Committee for inclusion in local Health Trust’s ‘Standards for Better Health Care’

Declarations.

1.2Trusts are required to submit Declarations to the Healthcare Commission by 1

May 2007.

2.DECISION REQUIRED

2.1That the Committee endorses the proposed comments drafted by members of the Health Scrutiny Committee following presentations by the Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust (PCT), Poole Hospital NHS Trust, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust and Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust on 19 January 2007 as follows[1]:

(i)Poole Primary Care Trust (for the period 01.04.06 to 30.09.06)

Poole Health Scrutiny Committee particularly commends the joint work between Poole Primary Care Trust, Adult Social Care and other relevant health trusts in meeting the needs of people with mental health problems, as well as the joint work undertaken on the Partnership for Older People Project (POPPS) in Poole (C6). The Health Scrutiny Committee welcomes developments in pharmacy services which now offer extended health and advice services in the local community, including upgraded facilities to offer private consultation areas (C18).

Poole Primary Care Trust’s involvement in a joint working party during 2005/2006 to consider health inequalities showed strong commitment to addressing inequalities and led to the development of an Action Plan which we look forward to implementing with the new joint Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust. The Local Delivery Plan showed clear evidence of Poole Primary Care Trust’s commitment to joint priorities as agreed within the Local Area Agreement, including addressing health inequalities by reducing teenage pregnancy and childhood obesity (C22).

The Local Delivery Plan is evidence of Poole Primary Care Trust’s close work with the Local Authority on exercise referral schemes and smoking cessation (C23).

[Total: 184 words]

(ii)Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust (from 01.10.06 to present)

The Health Scrutiny Committee is satisfied that the Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust is working effectively to reduce the risk of health care acquired infection to patients and has recommended that the Primary Care Trust considers communicating its actions and progress to date more proactively to the public (C4).

Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust is working jointly with Poole Hospital and Poole Adult Social Services in supporting older people in their own homes, preventing hospital admissions and, in particular, preventing delayed discharges from hospital. A notable strength is the Trust’s joint work on the Partnership for Older People Project (POPPs) in Poole where new community services are being developed on the basis of decision-making by older people themselves (C6).

Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust is demonstrating a strong commitment to the development of the Local Area Agreement, including collaborating on the development of alcohol harm reduction and mental health strategies and services. Together with partners, Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust will be implementing recommendations arising from the Health Inequalities Working Party conducted by Poole’s Health Scrutiny Committee and Poole Primary Care Trust in 2005/6 (C22).

Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust is working closely with the Borough of Poole and other partners in developing the Local Area Agreement to address health education and promotion, for example through increased physical activity for priority groups and improved sexual health amongst young people (C23).

[Total: 232 words]

(iii)Poole Hospital NHS Trust

Poole Health Scrutiny Committee welcomes Poole Hospital’s work to reduce health care acquired infection and commends its considerable achievement in controlling infections to date. The Health Scrutiny Committee fully endorses the hospital’s intention to reduce rates further and supports its intention to achieve a zero rate of infection wherever possible (C4).

Poole Hospital works in close collaboration with Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust and Poole Adult Social Services in preventing hospital admissions for older people and preventing delayed discharges from hospital. A notable strength is Poole Hospital’s joint work on the Partnership for Older People Project (POPPs) in Poole (C6).

Poole Hospital has worked proactively with its Patient and Public Involvement Forum to implement plans enabling men and women to have separate facilities to ensure their dignity and respect. As part of a wider public consultation process, Poole Hospital presented proposals for its application for Foundation Trust status, including proposed governance arrangements, to Poole Health Scrutiny Committee which will ensure residents, patients and carers have a strong voice in the Foundation Trust’s future. The consultation on Foundation Trust status has sought to engage an impressively wide range of residents and stakeholders (C17).

Poole Hospital added value to the work of Poole Health Scrutiny Committee’s Health Inequalities Working Group in 2005/06 by facilitating fact-finding visits to the A&E Department. Poole Hospital has also worked with partners on the development of an alcohol harm reduction strategy as part of Poole Partnership’s Local Area Agreement (C22).

[Total: 241 words]

(iv)South Western Ambulance Services NHS Trust

Poole Health Scrutiny Committee commends South Western Ambulance Services NHS Trust for the systems it has implemented to reduce the risk of health care acquired infection, including providing on-site changing rooms, showers, washing machines and detergents in order to allow staff to change in and out of uniform when travelling to and from work. South Western Ambulance Services NHS Trust is also commended on its regular programme for cleansing and decontaminating vehicles after use (C4).

Health Scrutiny Committee welcomes South Western Ambulance Services NHS Trust’s active involvement in the Partnership for Older People Project in Poole (POPPs) where the Trust is working as an active partner with Adult Social Care, Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust and Poole Hospital to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions of older people and reducing length of hospital stays for them. South Western Ambulance Services NHS Trust is working in partnership with Alderney Hospital on the ‘Fallers Scheme’ through which patients receive a direct referral for a home assessment (C6).

South Western Ambulance Services NHS Trust’s pro-active stance to improving responsiveness to calls, together with the increasing range of paramedic services it offers is welcomed by Poole Health Scrutiny Committee (C18).

South Western Ambulance Services NHS Trust is commended for its innovative and creative health promotion programme, encompassing a Public Health Strategy, Health Promotion Action Plan and the acquisition of a health promotion roadshow vehicle to attend outside events (C22).

[Total: 230 words]

(v)Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust

Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust is commended for its effective inter-agency work with both Social Services and the Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust to deliver care arrangements for service users and carers. Of particular note is the dedicated carers officers providing support to carers which is provided in conjunction with Social Services (C6).

As part of a wider public consultation process, Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust presented its proposals for its application for Foundation Trust status, including proposed governance arrangements, to Poole Health Scrutiny Committee. The consultation has sought to engage a wide range of residents, service users and carers (C17).

Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust has demonstrated a proactive approach to meeting the needs of people from different ethnic backgrounds and has produced a high quality report in relation to BME residents’ needs entitled ‘Needs not Numbers’ (C18).

Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust is contributing to the Local Area Agreement in relation to developing a mental health strategy and new services and is also working as part of the Children’s Trust on enhancing Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) (C22).

[Total: 175 words]

3.BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3.1 At its meeting on 19 January 2007, Members of Poole’s Health Scrutiny

Committee received presentations from Bournemouth and Poole PCT, Poole Hospital NHS Trust, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust and Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust. The purpose of these presentations was to assist the Committee in making comments for inclusion in each Trust’s Declaration. The proposals for formal comments are set out for consideration in paragraph 2.1 (above).

3.2Health Scrutiny Committees are asked to make comments only in relation to the work they have undertaken from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007. The following sets out the items considered by Poole’s Health Scrutiny Committee in relation to each Trust:

Poole Primary Care Trust (up to 30 September 2006)

• Pharmacy Contract
• Budgets and Programme 2006/7;

• Health Inequalities;
• Commissioning a patient led NHS;
• Local Delivery Plan;

Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust (1 October 2006 to present)

• Presentation on the new Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust;
• Capacity Management at Poole Hospital;
• Audiology Services;
• Dental Services;
• GP Shared Services for Drug Treatment;
• Urological Cancer Services in Dorset

Poole Hospital NHS Trust

• Current services and service developments;
• Application for foundation trust status;
• Capacity Management.

Dorset Ambulance NHS Trust (as was)

• Work and future developments of Dorset Ambulance NHS Trust and Out of Hours GP Services;
• Capacity Management at Poole Hospital.

Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust

• Race Equality in Mental Health provision;
• Development of Mental Health Crisis Services;
• Application for Foundation Trust status.

3.3There is a maximum 250 word limit on the commentaries the Committee can submit for each Health Trust.

3.4Following Trusts’ presentations on 19 January 2007 two items were identified for inclusion in the Health Scrutiny Committee’s work programme as follows:

• How is the ‘Choose and Book’ system working?
• Medicines Management across the board.

Two items have been referred to the Education and Community Support Scrutiny Committee for consideration:

• How consistent are the discharge arrangements for people from hospital to their homes? Is there a need to sample quality of plans and services provided?
• Effectiveness of health promotion for young people (eg. alcohol and sexual health messages).

JAN THURGOOD

STRATEGIC DIRECTOR

Contact Officer:Liz Strothard

Tel:01202 633019

Email:

5 February 2007

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[1] Please note that the Healthcare Commission has confirmed that it does require a declaration to be submitted from both Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust AND Poole Primary Care Trust, the latter for the period 1 April 2006 to 30 September 2006.