Agenda item

The Panel are to receive the following presentations from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group:

(a)   Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Health and Care System Transformation Programme

  Ian Weller will be in attendance to present the item and answer questions.

(b)  Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group Performance Report

  Rob Murphy will be in attendance to present the item and answer questions.

Mr Rob Murphy, Dr David Roberts and Mr Ian Weller from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) were in attendance to present and answer questions on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Health and Care System Transformation Programme and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group Performance Report.

(a) Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Health and Care System Transformation Programme

Mr Ian Weller (CCG) introduced the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Health and Care System Transformation Programme. The Panel was informed that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough had been identified as a ‘challenged health economy’ and this provided significant challenges to services. In response the CCG have introduced a new governance structure with the aim of tackling the challenges.

Members were advised that there is a requirement to submit a five year plan by 29th June 2016 to ensure that the NHS in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is creditable and costed. In assisting the formation of the five year plan, five working groups had been established with the aim of producing overarching plans for the service.

Following a question regarding the current financial position of the NHS in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Members were informed that the region has an annual income of £1.2bn and that this year (2015/16) debt was £140m.

The Panel was informed in response to a question on proactive care that there is a long term vision for proactive and prevention care however work was ongoing as the benefits of proactive and prevention care take longer to become visible.

Members were informed that Hinchingbrooke plays a significant strategic role within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough as it is located centrally within the region and has a growing population. Dr Roberts added that the CCG are looking at what services are best delivered locally and what are best delivered elsewhere with the aim of building a countywide service.

A Member raised a concern that good governance and financial management would not address the problem of manpower. In response the Panel were informed that Hinchingbrooke had struggled to recruit staff however the hospital that had been reviewing the possibility of pooling staff with Peterborough Hospital to ensure that the rota is fully staffed. An additional problem was that incentives are not in the correct place as bank and agency staff have significant incentives to remain as bank and agency staff.

In regards to a question regarding GPs the Panel was informed that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough require an extra 136 GPs. However in order to assist GPs residents should be self-treating minor illness or consulting a pharmacist therefore enabling GPs to handle more complex cases and in turn taking pressure off the hospitals.

After a query on how Public Health can assist with prevention Members were informed that Public Health are good at giving a steer on where to focus. In addition in regards to falls housing providers and councils are working on identifying trip hazards in their properties. Furthermore the CCG recognise that the third sector is an underused resource which could be utilised for prevention care.

Following a question on the biggest cost the health service in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough face Members were informed that acute hospitals require the most resources due to the building and maintenance, staff salaries and equipment for the hospital. In regards to Hinchingbrooke the salary cost is 75% of the budget, the Ambulance service spend 95% of their budget on salaries.

The Panel raised a concern that the five year plan is not enough as growth within the District is planned over a longer period. Members were advised that the five year plan fits in with the Parliamentary cycle however the CCG allocation of funding is based on the population so if the population increases so does the CCG’s funding.

Members were informed that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has an Urgent and Emergency Care Vanguard Programme which includes additional funds and is used to treat patients at home. Mr Weller stated that he will attend a future Panel meeting to update Members on the Vanguard.

After a question on whether services will suffer Members were advised that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is a challenged health economy and although hospitals won’t collapse the underlying debt has to be managed.

(b) Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group Performance Report

Mr Rob Murphy (CCG) introduced the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group Performance Report. The Panel was informed that Hinchingbrooke had a mixed performance however the hospital was performing well in some areas.

Hinchingbrooke’s operational performance is measured against the NHS constitutional standard. Members were acquainted with the areas for concern one being waiting times in accident and emergency where Hinchingbrooke missed the target by 0.9% however this was better that other hospitals within the area. It is still a cause for concern as performance has deteriorated however the trend is national and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are performing better than other areas in the country.

Members were informed that in terms of cancer and the 62 day wait for first treatment from standard urgent referral Hinchingbrooke had missed the target of 85% by 3.7% although there is an action plan in place to assist this area.

Hinchingbrooke had also missed the 99% target for patients waiting for a diagnostic test however the Panel was informed that there is an action plan in place and the situation is improving.