Chief Officer's Report
Argyll and Bute Council · 29 May 2024
Back to Argyll and Bute HSCP Integration Joint Board (IJB) — 29 May 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 Integration Joint Board Agenda item: Date of Meeting: 29 May 2024 Title of Report: Chief Officer Report Presented by: Evan Beswick, Interim Chief Officer The Integration Joint Board is asked to: • Note the following report from the Interim Chief Officer Introduction Welcome to what is my first report as Interim Chief Officer. I would like to thank everyone for supporting me in my new role and I would especially like to thank our previous Chief Officer, Fiona Davies, for her hard work over the last three years and for continuing to be a source of ongoing support. I’ve recently been out on site visits and met with staff, it has been a real pleasure for me to see the exceptional health and social care service that they deliver for the people of Argyll and Bute and I would also like to express my gratitude for the professional and compassionate manner in which they provide care. I’d like to extend my thanks to staff for the warm welcome and continued support they have offered. Service updates in the report this month include our care home task force, spotlight on community nursing in Helensburgh and Lomond, welcoming our international nurses, developments in our Living Well activity and appointments to partnership and public protection committees. I am also delighted to highlight the recent recruitment of four mental health nurses from Nigeria who have joined the team within Succoth Ward in Mid Argyll Hospital and Community Care Centre. This has been a positive experience for all concerned and highlights that we are looking at all avenues of recruitment to ensure that we can continue to provide a high standard of care for the people who use our services. In the news section of my report I have spotlighted the Helensburgh & Lomond District Nursing Team and the amazing work that they are carrying in the community. They really have a great relationship with patients and families and are making a real positive difference for the people who need their services which
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2 include management of long term complex care needs, palliative and end of life care. There is also some good news around a recent investment of £1.7m in refurbishing and developing the Tigh-A-Rudha Residential Home on Tiree. This is a Council owned facility and it has been an excellent example of partnership approach in sourcing the funding for this project. I hope you find my report interesting and informative and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any suggestions or ideas for future reports. Thank you. HSCP Updates Argyll and Bute Alcohol and Drug Partnership Chair I would like to welcome Tracey McFall as the new chair of the Argyll and Bute Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP). She brings with her more than 25 years of experience in the social care sector during which she has overseen the development and management of various social services. Throughout her career development Tracey has gained professional experience within a diverse range of policy areas such as justice, homelessness, mental health, and substance use focusing on marginalised demographics such as children, youth, adults, families, and communities. In addition, she has occupied senior positions within the Scottish Government, national third-sector organisations, and universities; she also acts as the Vice Chair of the Criminal Justice Voluntary Sector Forum and is part of The Promise Oversight Board. Further information on her appointment is available here. Living Well Strategy Community Development Officer The Living Well Strategy 2019-2024 aims to support people to live well with long term health conditions and to work across communities and partners to prevent health problems from arising. The community assets for the living well workstream recognises that strong and vibrant local support improves everyone's health and wellbeing. Mahailia Kateryna Scott is the community development worker based within the Third Sector Interface (TSI) and her post is funded jointly by the HSCP and Macmillan Cancer Support. She works closely with the Community Link Workers to ensure there is a good understanding of the support that already exists across Argyll and Bute using the TSI's community directory and will also support the development of new community activities such as walking groups to support health and wellbeing.
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3 Service Updates Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards Each Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) is required to submit annual reports to Public Health Scotland to demonstrate progress towards implementing the 10 Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards for substance use. The MAT Standards were developed from the recommendations of the Drug Deaths Taskforce which was set up in September 2019 and the aim is to reduce drug related deaths, other related harms and to promote recovery. The standards provide a framework to ensure that MAT is sufficiently safe, effective, acceptable, accessible and person centred. 2023/2024 was the second year of the reporting timeframe whereby ADPs were required to demonstrate the progress made upon the first year. All ADPs were required to submit numerical, experiential and process reporting and report on twenty measures and capture data relating to referrals, retention in service, access to treatment and treatment provision. Argyll and Bute ADP Support Team are delighted to report they have received the maximum scores possible for both numerical and experiential reporting for each of the three reports. Care Home Task Force We would like to thank the members of the Care Home Task Force for their hard work and dedication to building a strong foundation for the provision of care home services across Argyll and Bute. The Task Force, which came together during the significant challenges that the sector faced during the COVID pandemic, managed to collaborate fully on the safety and wellbeing of residents and staff. We would also like to thank all participants in the Task Force for their honesty and compassion, in particular the Health Protection Team, the Care Inspectorate, Argyll and Bute Council colleagues, Public Health, Scottish Care, NHS Highland colleagues and the co-chair who represented the sector and fought for the views of care home staff on the ground. As we now have a Manager’s Forum and Collaborative Care Home Group in place, and there has been a shift in focus to a more strategic approach, we have been liaising with care home owners and providers on a proposal to move away from the Task Force set up and instead introduce a strategic stakeholder group which will focus on the future and sustainability of the care home sector in Argyll and Bute. Mental Health Services International Recruitment In October 2023 Argyll and Bute Mental Health Services team participated in its first ever international recruitment programme. They were supported in this by the North of Scotland International Recruitment Team and participated alongside inpatient services in New Craigs Hospital as part of an NHS Highland wide pilot.
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4 The programme began with NHS Highland wide interviews to recruit nurses specifically for the inpatient mental health ward (Succoth) in Mid Argyll Hospital and Community Care Centre in Lochgilphead. Staff from the ward, and across the wider HSCP mental health service, were invited to support interviews. In November 2023 four candidates from Nigeria were successful and accepted offers of a permanent post in Succoth Ward. The nurses arrived in Aberdeen in January 2024 and participated in a 3 week induction and preparation for the OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) test of competence for individuals who arrive from overseas and wish to work in the UK. Part of the induction focused on the practicalities of relocating to a different country and the Mental Health Services team were able to meet with them virtually to welcome them and answer any questions about the local area and the ward. In February, the nurses arrived in Lochgilphead and were met by staff to welcome them to their new accommodation and support them to settle in the local area. A welcome pack and local information was provided and they were supported to make contact with the wider international community locally. All four nurses have since passed the OSCE and are now registered with the NMC (Nursing & Midwifery Council) and settling into the ward as registered nurses. The participation in the international recruitment programme has been extremely positive – especially given the ongoing staffing challenges in rural areas. Being able to secure and support four skilled and experienced mental health nurses has played a crucial role in ensuring optimal staffing levels and upholding exceptional standards of care across our mental health inpatient services. National Updates Minimum Unit Pricing Rise The minimum price per unit of alcohol will increase by fifteen pence after the Scottish Parliament approved plans to continue with the public health measure. As part of a ‘sunset clause’ when Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) legislation was introduced in 2018, it had been due to end on 30 April. In addition, a price increase was required to counteract the effects of inflation, with a rise to 65p selected as the Scottish Government seeks to increase the positive effects of the policy. The increase will take effect on 30 September 2024. Further information is available here. Record Number of Junior Doctors Take up Posts Applications for medical training posts in Scotland are at record levels with more junior doctors joining the NHS than ever before. Data from NHS Education for Scotland shows that 1,231 posts were advertised throughout 2023 and 94% (1,156) of these filled successfully. This includes all entry-level posts in anaesthetics, radiology, emergency medicine, surgery and psychiatry. GP training programmes have been filled at 100% for the first time.
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5 Further information is available here. We will continue to review what opportunities this may present for rural healthcare. News Helensburgh and Lomond District Nursing Team The Helensburgh and Lomond District Nursing Team are based in the Jeanie Deans building at the Victoria Integrated Care Centre in Helensburgh. The team consists of District Nurses, Community Staff Nurses, Healthcare Support Workers and the team is also supported by an administrative officer. They provide care in the local community wherever possible and deliver nursing and healthcare services to patients who are housebound, either living in their own homes or in a care setting, and who are therefore unable to attend their GP Practice for the nursing care that they require. The team are caring, compassionate and fully skilled in all that they do and they have good relationships with patients, and their families, some of whom they have known over many generations. Further information and a photo of the team is available here. £1.7 Million Investment in Tigh-A-Rudha Residential Home on Tiree The HSCP was delighted to announce recently a £1.7 million contract to refurbish and develop Tigh-A-Rudha Residential Home on Tiree. The contract was awarded to CKR Island Construction Ltd who are based on the island and work began on the project on 18 March 2024. This significant investment on the HSCP’s facilities on the island of Tiree will create a ‘Care Hub’ which will provide 6 overnight GP beds, 2 respite beds, 1 medical care bed, 5 high grade residential rooms, upgrades to the current medical and respite rooms, a newly upgraded common room and upgraded accommodation on the site which will be made available to by key workers. In May 2023 Argyll and Bute Council, on behalf of the HSCP, was successful in applying for funding of £450k from the Scottish Government’s Islands Programme to assist with the modernisation and reconfiguration of the Council owned facility. The remainder of the funding came from the following sources: £180k - Argyll and Bute Council Strategic Housing Fund £300k - Argyll and Bute HSCP contribution £770k - Argyll and Bute Council Capital Asset Sustainability Block Allocation Congratulations to the Helensburgh Dental Team Many congratulations to the Helensburgh Dental Team for winning the Public Service Award at the recent Celebrating Forces Families Award Night. The competition had been tough and the final three nominations were from NHS Highland, North East London NHS Foundation Trust and Oxfordshire County Council.
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6 Armed Forces families face regular moves across not only the UK but also the world, and with each move comes significant change. You change your GP and dentist, you may have to transition from one list to another, you may need to resume ongoing treatment with new specialists in a new hospital - it can be a challenge. The team in Helensburgh have spent the last two years trying to make those move smoother, easier and less stressful. They have worked collaboratively with the Naval Family Federation to resolve any issues as quickly as possible and identified potential issues to mitigate them before they could occur. If you'd like to find out more about what the team were nominated for, their stories are included in the Awards Night Programme which you can view here. Argyll and Bute Child Poverty Action Group As Interim Chief Officer I have also taken over the lead for the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG). This Group came into being in response to the 2017 Child Poverty (Scotland) Act which aimed to put in place measures that would reduce the increase in child poverty, both on a national and local level. The CPAG is a multiagency group, including key third sector partners, and is led by the Chief Officer. The group works closely with the Argyll and Bute Financial Advice and Inclusion Group which shares a remit for addressing poverty and the impacts of poverty. The CPAG seeks to bring organisations together to share information about services and resources as well as the identified needs of people who may be living in poverty. It sets strategy around identified need and determines actions required to lift children out of poverty. Staffing Updates Head of Adult Services (Mental Health, Acute and Complex Care) We would like to welcome back Julie Lusk who has taken up post as Head of Adult Services (Mental Health, Acute and Complex Care). Julie had been on a secondment with the Scottish Government, and we are delighted that she has come back to join us when her secondment came to an end. Julie is returning to the post vacated by Jillian Torrens who has recently left the organisation to take up a new role. I would like to thank Jillian for her huge contribution to the Argyll and Bute team and to the services she led. iMatter and Employee Engagement Surveys Strong employee engagement remains a priority for the HSCP as it is important that the voice of our staff is heard and acted upon. This is also a focus of the local Culture and Wellbeing Group and a priority for both our NHS and Council partners. The council's employee engagement survey, launched on the 24th April, is for all council employees and is linked to the recently launched people strategy. It seeks to understand where the council is doing well as an employer and where there are opportunities to make improvements. The annual iMatter staff survey was launched on 13 May and is for all employees across the HSCP, both NHS and Council employees. I am very hopeful that we will improve upon the 48% completion we saw last year and I am committed to acting
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7 on the information we obtain both to celebrate what we do well and to further improve where this is required. Both surveys will be followed up by focus groups and we will do these in as joined up a way as possible to gather all the relevant information across the partnership and inform our activity going forward.