Agenda item

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the Committee and made the following announcements:-

i)             Agenda Items

Two of the items on this agenda were not expected at the last meeting of the Committee, on 20 July 2016. 

Firstly, on 11 August 2016, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust announced that Grantham A&E Department would be temporarily closed overnight.  As a result, the Chairman had urgently sought their attendance at this meeting, which would be considered at Item 5 of the agenda.

Secondly, Lincolnshire West Clinical Commissioning Group announced, on 21 July 2016, that the four surgeries in its area would be under new management from 1 August 2016.  A short paper would be considered at Item 10 of the agenda.

ii)            Congenital Heart Disease Services – East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre

On 20 July 2016, the Committee authorised the Chairman to write to NHS England in relation to the East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre.  The letter dated 22 July 2016 and the response from NHS England dated 9 August 2016 were circulated to the Committee for consideration at Item 9 of the agenda.

iii)          Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Annual Public Meeting

Following the July meeting of the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire, Councillor D Brailsford attended the Annual Public Meeting of Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on 28 July 2016.  Councillor Brailsford provided a short report in which he highlighted progress with the MRI scanner at Stamford and Rutland Hospital, where electrical infrastructure and generator works were being undertaken along with redevelopment of the eastern end of the site due to commence during the Autumn.

iv)          Proposed Merger of Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust – Full Business Case for Merger

On 20 September 2016, the full business case for the merger of Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust was published.  At its meeting on 20 July 2016, the Committee reserved the right to make a response on this full business case.  The Chairman proposed to consider the options for responding to the full business case as part of the work programme item.

Several public engagement events were also taking place in the coming weeks on this topic and events local to Lincolnshire included:-

·       6 October 2016, 5.45pm – Stamford Hospital;

·       10 October 2016, 7.00pm –Deepings Community Centre, Market Deeping;

·       11 October 2016, 5.45pm – Peterborough City Hospital; and

·       20 October 2016, 2.00pm – Bourne Corn Exchange, Bourne.

v)            Annual Public Meetings

The Chairman confirmed that this period was where most annual meetings of NHS bodies took place.  On 15 September 2016, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust held its annual public meeting and Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust was holding its annual meeting in Boston on 21 September 2016.  The Committee was advised of the forthcoming meetings and volunteers were asked to indicate their attendance to Simon Evans, Health Scrutiny Officer, for South West Lincolnshire CCG, Lincolnshire West CCG and South Lincolnshire CCG:-

*      22 September 2016 – Lincolnshire East CCG, Golf Hotel, Woodhall Spa (Councillor S L W Palmer to attend);

*      26 September 2016 – United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln (Councillor C J T H Brewis to attend);

*      27 September 2016 – South West Lincolnshire CCG, New Life Centre Sleaford (attendee requested);

*      28 September 2016 – Lincolnshire West CCG, The Showroom, Tritton Road, Lincoln (attendee requested); and

*      29 September 2016 – South Lincolnshire CCG, Springfield Event Centre, Spalding (attendee requested).

vi)          Care Quality Commission – Acute Inspection Programme

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) had announced its inspection programme for acute hospital trusts for the autumn which would affect two hospitals in the area.  In the week beginning 10 October 2016 the CQC would be inspecting United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust; and in the week beginning 22 November 2016 they would be inspecting North Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust.  Each trust was currently rated as "requires improvement".

vii)         Government Funding for Mental Health Projects in Lincolnshire

On 23 August 2016, the Government announced that it had awarded Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust the sum of £405,895 to fund health-based alternative places of safety to support those in mental health crisis.  LPFT had stated that the money would fund a new psychiatric decision-making unit within Lincoln County Hospital; a new section 136 suite for children and young people based at the Ash Villa Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service; and rapid response vehicles providing street triage services across the county.  The intention was to provide health and community-based places of safety for people suffering a mental health crisis who had committed no crime and to stop them from being placed in a police cell.

viii)        Lincoln University Health Centre

The Chairman advised that Item 10 of the agenda (APMS [Alternative Provider of Medical Services] GP Surgeries) would consider four of the five APMS GP Surgeries in Lincolnshire.  In relation to the fifth, Lincoln University Health Centre, the Chairman announced that a five year contract to provide GP services at this health centre had been awarded by Lincolnshire West Clinical Commissioning Group to the University of Nottingham Health Service.  The previous contract had ended unexpectedly in March 2016 and Lincolnshire West CCG made temporary arrangements with Lincolnshire Community Health Services to provide services for patients until 30 September 2016.

ix)          Engaging Local People -  A Guide for Local Areas Developing Sustainability and Transformation Plans

On 15 September 2016, a document entitled Engaging Local People – A Guide for Local Areas Developing Sustainability and Transformation Plans was published by NHS England and five other national NHS Organisations*.  This guidance was aimed at local teams developing Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) and stated that STPs should include engagement plans for both ongoing dialogue with stakeholders and for any formal public consultations required for major service changes.  A copy of the document would be circulated to the Committee.

On 21 September 2016, the Centre of Public Scrutiny was holding a one day event entitled Sustainability and Transformation Plans – Championing the Role of Scrutiny, with speakers from the King's Fund and NHS England.  Members were asked to note that this event coincided with the meeting of the Committee.

On 18 May 2016, the Committee received a briefing on the STP process and was looking forward to engagement on the STP, in accordance with the guidance.

*         The following organisations were listed in the guidance as authors – NHS England; NHS Improvement; Health Education England; The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; Public Health England; and the Care Quality Commission.