Agenda item

The purpose of this briefing is to provide high-level information to support a discussion around the current situation facing University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) and the Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSOL ICB), with regards to the measures that are proposed to support the recovery of hospital services across Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL). Specifically, this pertains to the proposed configuration of surgical services across UHB; the development of a proposal around building work at Solihull Hospital to create six new theatres; and the reprovision of a Minor Injuries Unit and Urgent Treatment Centre at Solihull Hospital.

The Chief Operating Officer for UHB introduced the report, which provided high-level information to support a discussion around the current situation facing UHB and the BSOL ICB, with regards to the measures that are proposed to support the recovery of hospital services across Birmingham and Solihull. Members received updates on the proposed configuration of surgical services across UHB; the development of a proposal around building work at Solihull Hospital to create six new theatres; and the re-provision of a Minor Injuries Unit and Urgent Treatment Centre at Solihull Hospital.

Members raised a number of queries, which in summary included the following:

·  Members queried the arrangements to ensure the recruitment and retention of staff to support the recovery and configuration of services, as set out in the report.

·  The Chief Operating Officer confirmed staffing was an area of major focus at UHB. He detailed how there was local recruitment, through collaboration with local employers and Universities for a range of medical and non-medical staff. There were also a number of international recruitment programmes. Progress had also been made on alternative workforce models, including nursing associates, midwifery and therapy support workers. There was also emphasis upon ensuring professional development opportunities for employees, to support the retention of staff.

·  A Member raised the following questions:

-  They welcomed the capital investment, as set out in the report and requested for UHB to provide a figure for capital investment for the last 2-3 years.

-  It was noted the capacity expansion and recruitment should help reduce the backlog – Members requested the latest figures for Birmingham and Solihull.

·  The Chief Operating Officer outlined how, for all of the proposals set out in the report, they had secured both capital and revenue funding. Also, it was explained that, for UHB, the annual capital programme was approximately £40m and a notable proportion of this was for new capacity. Further to this, £97m had been secured from the Department of Health and Social Care (DoHSC) for the Heartlands Treatment Centre. For the proposed extra capacity at Solihull Hospital, the outline business case for £43m of capital investment had been submitted to NHS England and the DoHSC.

·  The Chief Operating Officer confirmed there were currently 160,000 people awaiting treatment – this had been reduced by 10,000 over the last 4 months. Prior to the pandemic, there had been 90,000 awaiting treatment. Members requested for the latest figures on the volume of people awaiting treatment to be presented at future JHOSC meetings.

·  Members requested further information on the planned communication and engagement for the proposals set out in the report.

·  The Chief Communications Officer explained a draft communications and engagement plan had been developed for the proposals in the report and confirmation this would be shared with the Members. Communications would be shared with all ICS partners. Engagement would be undertaken with key stakeholders, including the Primary Care Networks, Healthwatch, the third sector, as well as patient carer and community groups. Extensive communications would be shared via social media, whilst posters and leaflets would be shared in health and community settings.

·  Members queried how it was ensured patient received timely pain relief, following admission to hospital.

·  The Medical Director for UHB detailed how a quality improvement programme was being led by the medical and nursing teams in the Trust. Pain relief at admission and during admission was a key quality improvement project. The delivery of the quality improvement programme was reported to the Trust Board.

·  A Member detailed their own experiences, following a recent admission to hospital and queried whether further measures could be undertaken to support the discharge process.

·  The Medical Director for UHB also explained that, as part of the overall quality improvement programme, there was considerable focus upon length of stay in hospital and ensuring an efficient discharge process. This included for patients with complex needs who may be being accessing local care settings. It was explained how the delivery of this programme was overseen by the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Medical Officer.

The Chairman thanked officers for presenting the report, welcoming the update on the recovery and proposed configuration of surgical services across University Hospitals Birmingham.

  RESOLVED

The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

(i)  Endorsed the proposed future configuration of surgical services across UHB sites, subject to the planned communications and engagement with the public and key stakeholders.

(ii)  Endorsed the proposed developments for extra capacity at Solihull Hospital, subject to the planned communications and engagement with the public and key stakeholders;

(iii)  Agreed for the communications plan to be shared with Members’ following this meeting

(iv)  Noted that a report on the re-provision of a Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) and Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) at Solihull Hospital will be presented at the Solihull Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Board meeting on 9^th November.