Agenda item

The Board received an update presentation from the Head of Integrated Commissioning, Sarah Burns and the Director of Integrated Community Services, Michael Laing on progress relating to Health and Social Care Integration (for copy see file of minutes).

The Board received updates relating to: Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) meetings; Hewitt Review; Better health and wellbeing for all, Integrated Care Partnership Strategy launched, with a Durham local plan in development; Healthier and Fairer Group with £13.1 funding; matched funding for Fresh and Balance; Winter pressures, with £27m discharge funding; transformed ambulance handover delays; Ofgem and Priority Services Register, with the ICB Chief Executive, Sam Allen working on this; specialised commissioning delegation; evaluation of the Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) scheme, with a 40 percent reduction in antibiotic use; and 10,000 GP appointments avoided from July-January, saving over £390,000 across the North East and North Cumbria.

The Director of Integrated Community Services noted progress locally in terms of integration, with a number of joint posts, including Jennifer Illingworth as Programme Director - Children & Young People's Integrated Services, County Durham Care Partnership (CDCP).  He noted as regards a number of project groups in terms of Adult Mental Health and restructure in terms of the County Durham Care Partnership.  He added as regards the ICB and their model for a Joint Committee, noting the progress in County Durham and the Better Care Fund.

The Head of Integrated Commissioning noted many challenges, including those relating to industrial action by Nurses and Junior Doctors.  She noted the increasing use of up-to-date data to help support in time of pressures, with the Local Accident and Emergency Delay Group meeting twice weekly, with Sue Jacques chairing.  She noted the focus was on managing pressures and added that longer term delays in respect of mental health and learning difficulties would be looked at a future meeting. 

The Board noted the success in terms of COVID vaccinations for the over 75 year olds, and the 70 to 74 age group. 

It was explained that there had been a reduction in the uptake of COVID and flu vaccinations in the North East, due to factors including a perceived decreased risk and vaccine fatigue, with Public Health to help in terms of vaccine campaigns.

The Head of Integrated Commissioning noted a number of challenges, including: a need to reduce ICB running costs by 30 percent, with some efficiencies already made in terms of the merge, noting work ongoing to minimise any impact in County Durham; issues of quality, noting Care Quality Commission (CQC) reports on the North East Ambulance Services (NEAS) and South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (STSFT) having been published and a Section 29a Warning Notice being issued to Newcastle hospitals.  Other challenges included: System Oversight Framework (SOF meetings) with trusts who have triggered on performance and financial challenges over a number of years, with efficiency gap and issues with the funding formula.  The Head of Integrated Commissioning noted a number of opportunities including: collaboration across wider areas; healthier and fairer; digital transformation; innovation; system learning and improvement in terms of discharge, mental health and children and young people; implementing the Fuller Stocktake; Healthwatch investment; and CQC Integrated Care System Inspection.