Agenda item

(To receive a report from Simon Evans, Health Scrutiny Officer, which invites the Committee to consider a presentation on community diagnostic centres in Lincolnshire and to express a preference for one of three options for the second diagnostic centre.  Sarah Brinkworth, System Planned Care Programme Lead, NHS Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Simon Evans, Chief Operating Officer, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT), Clair Raybould, Director of Operations NHS Lincolnshire CCG and Claire Lloyd, Clinical Transformation Lead, ULHT will be in attendance for this item) 

Consideration was given to a report from Simon Evans, Health Scrutiny Officer, which invited the Committee to consider a presentation, on community diagnostic centres (CDC) in Lincolnshire, and to express a preference for one of the three options suggested for a second diagnostic centre.

The Chairman welcomed to the meeting the following presenters: Sarah Brinkworth, System Planned Care Programme Lead, NHS Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Clair Raybould, Director of Operations, NHS Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Claire Lloyd, Clinical Transformation Lead, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Project Lead for Diagnostic Centres (who was attending via Teams), to present the item to the Committee.

The presentation referred to:

·       The background behind CDCs,

·       The aims of CDCs;

·       The minimum requirements for a CDC;

·       Other considerations, which included value for money, longer term impacts, speed of deployment, co-ordination with local and regional priorities and staff and patient engagement;

·       National guidance for CDCs;

·       Different models of CDCs, which included a standard model, large model and a hub and spoke model;

·       Pathways being considered to be included in CDCs;

·       Work to date and expansion plans;

·       CDC engagement, for phase 1 and 2; and

·       Next steps, which advised that it was proposed to expand the Grantham CDC, develop a second CDC and consider the opportunities for future developments for CDCs.

During consideration of this item, the Committee made some of the following comments:

·       Some members of the Committee expressed their preference for a large CDC at Louth County Hospital as a hub, with spokes located at Skegness and Mablethorpe.  The Committee was advised that North East Lincolnshire CCG was exploring the option of having a CDC in Grimsby.  It was felt more needed to be known about this proposal, to see the impact it would have on residents in the north of the county;

·       Acceptance of CDCs. Some concern was raised regarding the staffing of the centres when there was already a shortage of staff.  It was noted that CDCs provided a new model of care, which offered the opportunity to grow your own, to help mitigate staff shortages;

·       Referral to CDCs.  The Committee was advised that currently referral was by GP.  It was highlighted that it was proposed to expand to health professionals and then it was hoped to start self-referrals.  One member enquired whether there was any delay in referrals.  The Committee was advised that there were variations in referrals, as some GP practices used pathways in different ways;

·       Support was extended to the expansion of the Grantham CDC and to the expansion of provision to a second site.  Further clarity was sought as to whether there would be a third site or more in Lincolnshire.  The Committee noted that a second site would help with inequalities along the east coast and that it was not definite that funding would be available for other sites at this point;

·       The importance of ensuring that the public were aware of the CDCs;

·       One member enquired how cover was proposed across the whole of the county, and whether bordering counties had been contacted in this regard.  It was reported that the opportunity for the Grantham CDC had been developed during the Covid-19 pandemic, as there was a suitable site immediately available to house a CDC; and that options were now being considered for a second CDC, and that feedback for the phase 2 engagement would help finalise the location for the second CDC;

·       Connectivity at CDCs.  The Committee was advised that the digital ambition was for the service to be digitalised so that results could be seen on the NHS App; and

·       Support was also extended for a community diagnostic centre in Boston as a hub, with spokes at Skegness and Mablethorpe and possibly Spalding.

Upon the Chairman seeking the Committees preference for either the Louth or the Boston option, the Boston option was identified as being the preferred option for the Committee.

RESOLVED

1.      That the presentation on Community Diagnostic Centres in Lincolnshire be noted.

2.      That the Committee’s preferred location of the second Community Diagnostic Centre be option (c) a Community Diagnostic Centre in Boston as a hub, with spokes at Skegness, Mablethorpe and possibly Spalding.

3.      That depending on the availability of central NHS funding, plans for further Community Diagnostic Centres being developed in Lincolnshire be noted.