Agenda item

The Board received a report of the Chief Operating Officer, North Durham and Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield Clinical Commissioning Groups and the Chief Clinical Officer,  Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield Clinical Commissioning Group that gave an update on the two local Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs): Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and North Durham Draft Sustainability and Transformation Plan (NTWND STP) and the Durham, Darlington, Tees, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Draft Sustainability and Transformation Plan (DDTHRW STP) (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Chief Clinical Officer informed the Board that in order to make services safer for all patients going forward there was a need for them to be reconfigured.  He explained that talks were ongoing to bring the Northern STPs together as one and support was sought from local authorities. A CCG joint committee would cover the 13 workstreams of the STPs.

The Chief Executive of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS FT and the Southern STP lead reassured the board that the external consultation had been extensive on service changes.  He further commented that the link to the North East with Cumbria was with cancer and specialist services provided in Newcastle and although joining up the three STPs would benefit Cumbria it would not detract resources away from the rest of the North East.

The Chairman asked that Members were updated as and when further consultation events were arranged in order to promote attendance from County Durham residents.

The Director of Corporate Affairs/Trust Secretary, City Hospitals Sunderland NHS FT said that she would circulate some dates for the Sunderland and South Tyneside hospital reconfiguration events which were planned for September.

Councillor Gunn asked what was being done to encourage attendance at future events and the Chief Clinical Officer, DDES CCG explained that they were advertising and encouraging people to come along. 

Councillor Gunn informed the Board that a STP presentation had been gratefully received at the last Children and Families Partnership meeting and said that the main points for clarity were to explain who did what and to have a clearer transition from children to adults’ services and to have more community and voluntary sector involvement.

The Director of Public Health said that the main issue was changing the hearts and minds of people as the public see the hospital as the pinnacle of care.  She said that the communication around any change needs to be clear.  The Chief Executive of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS FT and the Southern STP lead said that there was a video clip about what is being done in the community and how to spread this message across the patch to gain the confidence of people.  He said that messages needed to be clearer on what was available and where.

Councillor Gunn said that one of the messages received when talking about health care was the availability of transport and that this needs be addressed.  The Chief Clinical Officer reported that only 5% of health care took place in hospital and he agreed that transport was one of the biggest issues to deal with.

Resolved:

(i)            That the progress updates for both STPs be received.

(ii)          That to receive further joint updates to future Health and Wellbeing Board meetings be agreed.