MEMORANDUMDate:June 2012______

To:All Members of the County CouncilFrom:Legal and Member

All Chief OfficersServices Ask For: Laura Shewfelt

Ext:25452

My Ref: Your Ref:

______

HEALTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

21 JUNE2012

M I N U T E S

ATTENDANCE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

COUNTYCOUNCILLORS

R H Beeching, M Frearson, D Hart, F R G Hill, N A Hollinghurst, M Hurst, S L C Johnston, D B Lloyd (substituting for J W A Usher), J K Maddern, S M P Newton (Chairman), S O’Brien, E T Roach, A S M Witherick, C Woodward

DISTRICT COUNCILLORS

A Bardett (North Herts), G Nicholson (Broxbourne), N Symonds (East Herts), F Thomson (Welwyn Hatfield),D Russell (St Albans), R Martins (Watford)

MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 19 and 26 April2012were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

PUBLIC PETITIONS(Standing Order C11)

None

PART 1 (‘OPEN’) BUSINESS

ACTION
1.
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4 / UPDATE FROM HERTFORDSHIRE NHS TRUSTS – PATIENT SATISFACTION LEVELS
[Officer Contact:Natalie Rotherham, Scrutiny Officer]
(Tel: 01992 588485)
The Committee received an update from each of the Hertfordshire NHS Trusts regarding patient satisfaction levels. Each trust submitted a short written update which can be accessed by the following link
Angela Thompson, Director of Nursing and Patient Experience, ENHT, advised members of the ARC programme which had been launched in May 2011, to aid in the delivery of high quality health care to patients whilst recognising that an engaged and effective workforce was essential to achieve this. She also detailed the Trust’s three year Patient and Carer Experience Strategy and its objectives. The Trust undertook a quarterly inpatient postal survey and the most recent results showed improvements in the areas of being given understandable answers by doctors, privacy when being examined and being treated with respect and dignity. Areas of deterioration were patients having to wait a long time to get a bed on a ward after arrival at hospital and night noise disturbance. The Trust had also introduced Patient Experience Trackers (PETs) in 2010 and the tracker results for March/April 2012 were provided to Members. In relation to the CQC National Inpatient Survey 2011, the Trust was rated the same as most other trusts in seven sections. In three sections ENHT was in the worst performing trusts, these were emergency department, hospital and ward, doctors. An action plan had been developed to address this and would be closely monitored by the Patient Experience Committee. Details of the CQC National Outpatient Survey 2011 were also provided.
Jonathan Wells, Head of Practice Governance, HPFT outlined the main sources of information that the Trust used to gather levels of patient satisfaction. ‘Having Your Say’ was a simple questionnaire form which was completed either on paper, by phone or electronically. Around 800 responses were received per quarter and the results were provided to Members in the written submission. Each year the trust participated in the mandatory national survey and voluntarily undertook the national acute inpatient survey each year. It was reported that in 2011/12 there was considerable evidence of high levels of service user and carer satisfaction and the ’Having Your Say’ results had been very positive and encouraging to staff.
Grace Broderick, Assistant Director Quality and Governance, HCT explained that the organisation gained feedback from patients about their experiences of the service through a variety of external and internal methods. These included CQC reviews, PEAT inspections, patient surveys, comments cards and Local Involvement Networks enter and view visits. The CQC had undertaken three reviews within
HCT services during 2011/12
1.5
1.6
1.7
2.
2.1
2.2
2.2
2.3
3.
3.1
3.2
4.
4.1 / 2011/12 and reported positive patient feedback. Mechanisms were in place to report patient feedback to the Board and included a Patient Experience Report and a Patient Experience Sub Committee. For the future, plans included: increasing the number of services undertaking patient surveys and patient involvement in service change and the development of service information.
Colin Bryant, Interim Clinical Specialist, EEAST explained that the Ambulance Trust had been conducting patient experience surveys since 2006 and these were broken down by County and Divisional areas. Members noted that breakdown to PCT area was very difficult due to the way in which the Trust operated. The survey contained 18 questions which were asked from initial contact to arrival at hospital. Reports were generated every month and a full six month report was produced. The Committee was informed of the common themes that had emerged during the last six months and these were contained in the written submission.
Natalie Forrest, Director of Nursing, WHHT provided the Committee with an update on the headlines from the CQC National Inpatient Survey. Overall, the results from the 2011 survey showed a considerable improvement on those achieved in 2010. Significant improvement was seen in patients being given information about ward routines; patient food; having confidence and trust in doctors; information about discharge; and copies of letters sent to GPs given to patients. Areas that were below average and specific targeted actions were planned were: noise at night; the overall discharge process; having somewhere safe to keep personal belongings; the opportunity to speak to staff about concerns; and being able to be examined and discussions with greater privacy. The Trust Board had approved an action plan to focus on these areas. The Trust had been identified as the second most improved Trust across the Midlands and East SHA area. Details of the CQC Out-patient Survey were also provided.
Conclusions
The Committee noted the updates.
UPDATE ON HERTFORDSHIRE SHADOW HEALTH AND WELLBEING BOARD
[Officer Contact:Natalie Rotherham, Scrutiny Officer]
(Tel: 01992 588485)
The Committee received a presentation from Jess Lievesley,Assistant Director, Health and Community Services on the position regarding the Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB). The full presentation can be accessed by the following link:
HSC heard that the Health & Wellbeing Board will engage the wider health, social care and third sector in a very different way to previous arrangements. It will be a vehicle to engage the wider system more effectively and generate different ways of working, achieving greater outcomes than acting alone.

2.2The Committee heard that the Health and Wellbeing Board would engage the wider health, social care and third sector in a very different way to previous arrangements. It would be a vehicle to engage the wider system more effectively and generate different ways of working, achieving greater outcomes than acting alone.

2.3Conclusions

(i)The Committee welcomed the priorities which the shadow Health and Wellbeing Board had identified to improve outcomes for Hertfordshire residents. The role of the Health and Wellbeing Board would be to hold commissioners to account on delivering the priorities.

(ii)Members noted that it was vital that the Health Scrutiny Committee remained "fit for purpose" in the changing health and social care landscape. This would include reflecting on the likely relationship with the Health and Wellbeing Board. Work would be required over the coming months to align its approaches to support and complement the work of the shadow Health and Wellbeing Board whilst retaining a separate brief.

(iii)The Committee requested a further update on the work of Health and Wellbeing Board and its emerging strategy at its meeting in December 2012.

3.THE WORK PROGRAMME

[Officer Contact: Tom Hawkyard, Head of Scrutiny]

(Tel: 01992 555300)

The Committee notedthe report which outlined the current proposed work programme for the Health Scrutiny Committee.

Kathryn Pettitt

Chief Legal Officer

1