Agenda item

(To receive a report from Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT), which provides the Committee with a general update.  Senior management representatives from LPFT will be in attendance for this item)

The Chairman invited Jane Marshall, Director of Strategy, Planning and Partnerships, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, to present the report to the Committee, which provided a general update from LPFT and also its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Detailed at Appendix A was a copy of a report by the Acting Chief Executive to the Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Board of Directors (28 January 2021) for the Committee's consideration.

It was reported that Covid-19 had been a challenge for LPFT, but Trust staff had responded brilliantly.  Staff had managed outbreaks well, ensuring that patients and staff had been kept safe. Despite the extra challenge of Covid-19, the Trust had still managed to make progress on transformation work.

The Committee noted that the Trust had undertaken its annual flu vaccination campaign for staff with an aim of achieving 90% take-up of the vaccine.  The Committee noted further that the response by the Trust staff had been exceptional resulting in the Trust achieving 92% take-up, which had resulted in LPFT being cited as the top performer in the midlands region, and the country.

The Trust had been a key player in supporting the county-wide Covid-19 vaccination programme.

The Committee was advised that the Trust had been awarded £37 million to eradicate dormitory accommodation across adult acute wards in Lincoln and Boston.  This was excellent news for the Trust and for the Lincolnshire health and care system. 

It was reported that the Trust remained committed to having zero inappropriate out of area adult and older adult Acute and PICU placements by April 2021.  Details of the work currently underway on two specific schemes to build in-patient capacity were shown on page 27 of the report pack.  These were: repurposing Ash Villa into a 15 bed acute ward for women; and repurposing the Wolds Ward at Discovery House, Lincoln, from long-stay rehabilitation to a short-stay reablement service.

The Committee was advised that as the Trust had encountered difficulties in recruiting Band 5 registered nursing staff and current operational pressures faced by the Trust, linked to the Covid-19 pandemic; a decision had been taken to temporarily close Ashley House in Grantham.  It was noted that Ashley House was one of two long-stay intensity mental health rehabilitation wards, which was currently operating at 50% capacity.  The Committee was advised that patients at the unit would be moved to Maple Lodge, Boston, which was a Care Quality Commission compliant setting for mixed genders. The temporary closure would then release staff from Ashley House to enable Ash Villa to open; and also expand the existing Community Rehabilitation Team to support more rehabilitation patients in the community, and provide greater resilience to the in-patient workforce.  It was noted further that that the temporary change had been necessary in order to provide much needed resilience to essential services and to maximise treatment outcomes for patients.  The Committee noted that the situation would be kept under review.

Reference was made to the publication of the Independent Safeguarding Adults Review – Long Leys Court.  The Committee noted that the Trust welcomed the recommendations in the report; and would be continuing to work with all agencies involved to ensure all services delivered provided the very best care for people with a learning disability.

During discussion, the Committee raised the following points:

·       Whether provider partners were NHS providers or private providers.  The Committee was advised that the East Midlands Provider Collaboratives were both NHS and private providers.  Reassurance was given that private providers had committed to abide by a set of principles;

·       Some disappointment was expressed at the temporary closure of Ashley House, Grantham.  Reassurance was sought that sufficient capacity existed for those displaced.  Reassurance was given that some inpatients would be relocated to Maple Lodge; and some would be reintegrated back into the community with support from the Rehabilitation Team.  The Committee was offered a regular update on the temporary arrangements for Ashley House;

·       Clarity was sought as to whether the Integrated Care System (ICS) would be just a Lincolnshire system or a wider East Midlands approach.  Further information on ICS would be provided to the Committee;

·       Some concern was expressed to the length of time patients had to wait for the CAMHS.  The Committee was advised that meeting times for CAMHS were currently being met.  The Committee noted that as a result of Covid-19 there had been a surge in the number of people needing support.  The Committee noted further that measures had been put in place to help people access help such as a 24/7 helpline for those suffering with mental health issues; community assessments; Mental Health Matters, a system linked to the NHS 111, which signposted the caller to appropriate help.  The Committee was advised that LPFT and the Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group had been successful in accessing some Community Transformation Funding in 2019, which was a programme of work in communities, such as social prescribing.  It was suggested that this might be an area the Committee might want to consider at a future meeting;

·       Clarification was sort as to whether the extra funding to upgrade  dormitory accommodation across adult acute wards in Lincoln and Boston would include the Boston ward accommodation being on the ground floor.  The Committee was reassured that it was the intention;

·       Recruitment of staff for Ash Villa – One member enquired whether the location of Ash Villa was a contributory factor as to why it was difficult to recruit staff.  The Committee noted that the Trust was finding it hard to recruit Band 5 nursing staff, and that measures were being put in place to encourage staff to stay in Lincolnshire.  One member enquired whether the Trust had considered overseas recruitment. Confirmation was given that the Trust had not looked at this option previously; 

·       Thanks were extended to the Trust for the all the work and help provided to young people experiencing mental health issues.  The Committee was advised that the service provided to young people was provided in partnership with the county council as commissioners and other agencies; and

·       One member enquired what areas in Lincolnshire were currently covered by the personality and complex trauma team and the community rehabilitation team; and whether when the results of the bid for funding was received, would the service be rolled out to the rest of the county.  The Committee was advised that the pilot covered one third of the county which included Grantham, Lincoln South and Gainsborough; and that the proposal was if the bid for funding was successful, it was proposed to make the service available county wide.

The Chairman on behalf of the Committee extended his thanks to the Director of Strategy, Planning and Partnerships for her presentation.

RESOLVED

1.    That thanks be extended to all staff at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust for their efforts in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

2.    That a regular update be received in relation to the temporary arrangements in place for Ashley House as part of the Chairman's Announcements; and that the following items be considered for inclusion in the Committee's work programme: Provider Collaboratives; Community Transformation Funding; and Personality and Complex Trauma Team.