Agenda and minutes

Councillor Merlita Bryan  -  Council business

Councillor Anne Peach  -  personal reasons

None.

RESOLVED to appoint Councillor Cate Woodward as Vice Chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee for the current municipal year (May 2019 to April 2020).

To agree the minutes of the meeting held 21 March 2019.

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2019 were confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

Report of the Head of Legal and Governance

The Committee noted its Terms of Reference, which remained unchanged following the Council AGM on 20 May 2019.

Lucy Dadge, Director of Commissioning at Nottingham City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), gave a verbal report on the change of contract for the operation of the Nottingham Treatment Centre from Circle Healthcare to the Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH). The following points were discussed:

(a)  the contract procurement process was subject to significant legal proceedings that are not yet fully concluded, but it has reached the stage where it is lawful to award the contract to NUH. The CCG is fully committed to working with both the new and departing provider and is confident that an effective handover will be achieved within the two months available, with the change taking effect from 29 July 2019. This includes ensuring that the existing staff are engaged in the transition to the new provider, that the IT system transfer is managed effectively, and that the right equipment is in place, so there is no disruption to the continuity of appointments or to patient safety;

(b)  it is not proposed to make any changes to the current staffing, roles or terms of employment as part of this process, and staff are being kept fully informed. The provision of support services (such as cleaning and café staff) will be discussed between the providers, but some of these services are supplied to the Centre by NUH already. NUH will need to bring the new contract in line with its other core services, but it should consider continuing any existing, positive measures in the workplace that improve staff satisfaction and wellbeing. The primary focus of the CCG is on patient wellbeing, but it will discuss with the new provider measures for how staff satisfaction can improve outcomes for patients;

(c)  the award of the contract to a new provider does not change the expected outcomes for patients, which are set by the CCG, though NUH may choose to deliver them in a different way. There will be a strong focus on the continuity and maintenance of the standards of outcomes for patients, particularly at the point of transition. The contract transfer will go ahead in the context of difficult relationships in an intensive period, but the set handover date now provides a strong point of focus and full measures are in place to ensure that there are no issues for patient safety;

(d)  if any bedding-in measures are required on a temporary basis, such as meeting existing appointments at an alternative delivery centre, there will be a requirement for strong and effective communication. However, no services will stop as part of the transition process. The CCG has a full commitment to ensure that effective medical provision is in place up to and across the handover date, and that the right skills and competencies are deployed to ensure success in an evolving healthcare environment;

(e)  the ultimate legal fees relating to the procurement for the Centre provider will be published when the process has fully concluded. The CCG has ensured that the necessary resources are available to ensure that the transition is successful. A specialist IT team has been put in place to ensure that all patient records are transferred accurately and successfully. The new and outgoing providers are in discussion relating to the current medical equipment present in the Centre. It is hoped as much of it as possible will remain in place, to minimise disruption. All costs relating to the management and operation of the Centre will be met by the new provider through the contracted tariff awarded to it by the CCG;

(f)  the current procurement process for the Nottingham Treatment Centre has been long and difficult. A general consultation is underway on the award of NHS contracts, and this is an active policy area on a national level. As such, it remains to be seen what the overall context will be when the new contract comes to an end, in five years’ time.

RESOLVED to:

(1)  note the verbal report on the change of contract for the operation of the Nottingham Treatment Centre from Circle Healthcare to the Nottingham University Hospitals Trust;

(2)  receive a written update on the transition of providers from the Nottingham City Clinical Commissioning Group within 4 to 6 months;

(3)  call the case back for a report to a future meeting of the Committee if any major issues in the transition of providers arise.

Report of the Head of Legal and Governance

Zena West, Senior Governance Officer, presented the proposed work programme for the 2019/20 municipal year. The following points were discussed:

(a)  for the July meeting of the Committee, the work programme includes a review of the Independent Clinical Services’ Clinical Services Strategy, hospital cleanliness and the flu immunisation programme statistics for 2018/19. Public Health will be invited to join the meeting;

(b)  the local CCG will be asked to report on GP surgery closures at the July meeting, with an update on the Care Quality Commission’s recent decision for the immediate closure of a City clinic, the reasons why the clinic had to be closed, and how its patients were supported in moving to a new practice.

RESOLVED to note the work programme.

To meet at 10am on the following dates (with a pre-meeting for Committee members only from 9:30am):

·  11 July 2019

·  12 September 2019

·  17 October 2019

·  14 November 2019

·  12 December 2019

·  16 January 2020

·  13 February 2020

·  12 March 2020

·  16 April 2020

RESOLVED to meet on the following Thursdays at 10:00am:

·  11 July 2019

·  12 September 2019

·  17 October 2019

·  14 November 2019

·  12 December 2019

·  16 January 2020

·  13 February 2020

·  12 March 2020

·  16 April 2020