Agenda item

[To receive Wolverhampton CCG and Black Country and West Birmingham Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships Operating Plans.]

Dr Helen Hibbs, Chief Officer, Wolverhampton CCG presented the Wolverhampton CCG and Black Country and West Birmingham STP Operating Plans report. The report outlined that the attached STP wide Operating Plan was submitted in accordance with national guidance however Wolverhampton CCG Executive Team had taken the decision to produce a local operation plan for assurance.

Board members were advised that the transition from the STP to the new Integrated Care System was planned to take place across the Black Country and Birmingham over the next year as part of the National Health Service’s Long-Term Plan.

A brief description of the architecture of the new system was provided:

Patient:

End user requiring easy access to quality services in a timely manner.

General Practitioners (GPs):

Arranged into networks of practices serving around 30 – 50,000 patients. Wolverhampton was reported to be in a good position already as this way of working was already in place.

Place:

This was the Integrated Care System area and covered Wolverhampton.

Attention was drawn to the proposed priority areas around which the plan would focus: Primary Care; Cancer; Mental Health; Learning Disability Services; Maternity and Neonates; Children and Young People; Urgent and Emergency Care; Cardiovascular Disease; Clinical Support Services; Musculoskeletal Conditions; Respiratory Diseases and Frailty.

It was highlighted that workforce retention was the biggest issue faced at present. A programme had been developed known as the GP Intensive Support Site Scheme which focused on this area. Work had been undertaken to improve retention by offering GPs portfolio careers to include opportunities to work with the Acute Trust or as managers as well as coaching opportunities. It was noted that the new GP networks would enable GPs to feel less isolated in their work and enhanced training for pharmacists to work around long-term care and medicine would take pressure off GPs, freeing them to concentrate on diagnostics. A request was made to provide an update on this work at a future meeting.

Concerns were raised in respect of low prostate cancer screening uptakes. It was noted that a campaign to encourage an increased uptake would be beneficial to ensure a better chance of early treatment. Caution was advised as attempting to treat or operate too early may cause more harm than good, therefore it was important to push for raised awareness of the condition and risks involved as well. It was suggested that ensuring that GPs investigate if patients had a family history of the condition during health checks.

It was highlighted that an improved test may be required which was reliable and acceptable to the general population to carry out. It was noted that prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood tests often caused unnecessary alarm as any enlarged tissue may be benign rather than malignant and the sample tests had been unpleasant to undertake. Normal practice for the local authority was to associate with national campaigns.

Resolved:

1.    That an update on the NHS staff retention programme be provided at a future Health and Wellbeing Together meeting.       

2.    That the Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group and Black Country and West Birmingham Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships Operating plans be noted.