Agenda item

Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STP) 2016/17 update - 2020/2021

[Steven Marshall, Director of Strategy & Transformation, Wolverhampton CCG, to present report]

Minutes:

Viv Griffin, Director Disabilities and Mental Health, gave an overview of the background and aims of the Black Country Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP). The Director Disabilities explained that there has been a high level of engagement in the development of the plan, however there is more work to be done. The meetings with representatives of key partners have been positive and productive.

 

A final submission is timetabled to be completed in September 2016. The final version will provide details about specific areas of work, deliverables, outcomes and timings.

 

The Board agreed that the report should be added to the Forward Plan for consideration.

 

The Director of Disabilities outlined the main themes of the plan and explained that it was aimed at supporting people to be independent and move away from placements in institutional care settings. The amount spent on providing adult social care is too high.

 

The Board commented on the changes to the management and delivery of adult and social care as part of wider devolution plans affecting the Greater Manchester region The Greater Manchester Devolution and Locality Plans will give local control over how public money is spent in the area to deliver agreed improvements in health outcomes. The Board commented the plans include looking at alternative models for delivering primary care and a recognition that acute care is the most expensive care to provide.

 

Tracey Cotterill, Deputy CEO, Black Country Partnership NHS Trust commented on the speed of progress and the need for the Board to review progress.

 

The Chair commented that the Board will watch the developments in Manchester with interest to see how it progresses.

 

The Board commented on the importance of public engagement about the plans for transforming services to provide reassurance, where the plans raise concerns. The Board commented that the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) has to be the vehicle for any joint work planning in the future. The Board queried how the plan will fit with the bigger picture of other health improvement initiatives. The Board were advised that the SDP should be the ‘golden’ thread that links all part of the work aimed at improving health outcomes.

 

The Board discussed the reference in the report to reducing the number of acute mental health sites across the Black Country from five to four. Jo Cadman, Associate Director of Strategy, Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, responded that there is a discussion needed about what the appropriate level of provision required to deliver improved quality and economies of scale across the acute care sector.

The Board discussed the implications of the £124 million local authority balance of challenge and to work to reduce this gap in funding.

 

The Strategic Director, Community, outlined the process by which the local authority and finance leads have been engaged in the process to assess the scale of the financial challenge

 

Jan Sensier, Chief Executive, Engaging Communities, Healthwatch, Wolverhampton expressed concerns the speed of the timescale detailed in the report will militate against full public engagement. The Chief Executive commented on the challenges in getting the public involved and the work done by Healthwatch Sandwell and Walsall to explain the implications of the plans. Mike Hastings, Associate Director of Operations, commented that in discussions with Stephen Marshall there was acknowledgement that the pace has been quick. The Board were advised that any planned changes to services would be subject to full public consultation. The issue of public consultation has also been embedded into the project plan.

 

Jan Sensier commented on the value of pre-consultation work done with the public to help inform the development of standards in Sandwell. Jan Sensier commented on the statutory processes that need to be completed before the plans can be implemented. The Board discussed the issue of ownership of the plan and how the views of different partner organisations will be considered. The Board accepted that further work was needed to consider the implications of the proposals and also the concerns that it may be seen as top-down re-organisation, which may lead to resistance from the public and staff.

 

The Board discussed the timetable for the STP and agreed that it would be useful for this information to be shared.

 

Linda Sanders commented that the issue about pre-consultation with the public will be discussed at the next regional STP meeting.

 

Jeremy Vanes, Chair, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Hospital Trust, commented that the service supported the transformation plans and the need for change, but shared the concern about the speed of the plans and the implications for governance. For example, the issue of pooled budgets and the different financial position of the partners involved. The Chair added that there was also a need to consult with staff about the plans

 

Resolved:

1.    That the report be noted and received.

2.    That a progress report on STP is added to the Forward Plan for further consideration.

 

           

 

 

Supporting documents: