Agenda item

To receive Finance and Performance Reports from NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough in relation to Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

The reports as submitted to NHS Cambridgeshire’s Board meeting on 26th September 2012 are attached. The next meeting will be held on 5th December 2012 – papers will be made available via the following link from 30th November 2012 onwards: - http://www.cambridgeshire.nhs.uk/About-us/board-meetings.htm.

Mrs S Shuttleworth, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Groups, will be in attendance for this item.

30 Minutes.

(Mrs S Shuttlewood, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Groups, was in attendance for consideration of this item).

Pursuant to Minute No. 12/61 and with the aid of reports prepared by NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (copies of which are appended in the Minute Book), the Panel was updated on the financial and operational performance of Hinchingbrooke Hospital. Further updates were tabled at the meeting (copies of which are also appended in the Minute Book) providing the latest performance statistics which were due to be considered by the NHS Board the following day.

In introducing the reports, Mrs S Shuttlewood, representative of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group, delivered an outline of the Commissioning Group’s role in monitoring the performance of the Hospital. In so doing, it was reported that a rigorous contractual performance monitoring regime had been adopted to ensure that the standards required of the Hospital were being delivered. Members were encouraged to note that of the 46 acute providers within the County, Hinchingbrooke’s performance currently came in at 8th place in terms of its overall performance. Furthermore, the Panel was advised that the Hospital could be penalised financially if it was felt that it was not adhering to the terms of the contract or implementing appropriate remedial action when required to do so. Areas of current concern relating to the Hospital included the recent norovirus outbreak and its impact upon the availability of bed space which, in turn, had resulted in delays in waiting times within the Accident and Emergency Department, the need for improved performance against targets for treating cancer patients and the anticipated financial deficit expected at the end of the 2012/13 financial year.

The Panel discussed a number of matters including the powers held by the Commissioning Group, the requirement to report upon national health standards, the recent award received by the Maternity Unit, the cleanliness standards of the Hospital, the risks associated with the imposition of financial penalties on the Hospital, current issues with the Ambulance Service, delayed discharges, the availability of care in the community services and the Commissioning Group’s relationship with Circle Healthcare. Clarification was then sought and received on the reasons for the reported financial deficit and Members discussed the Hospital’s progress against the Quality, Innovation, Prevention and Productivity programme.

In terms of the way forward, it was agreed that regular reports would continue to be provided on the Hospital. Following a suggestion made by the Chairman that a Joint Working Group should be established comprising representatives of the Panel and the County Council’s Cambridgeshire Adults, Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, it was

RESOLVED

  Councillors S J Criswell, P Kadewere, M C Oliver and R J West, together with Mr R Coxhead, be appointed on to a Working Group to pursue further investigations into Hinchingbrooke Hospital.