Chief Officer's Report
Argyll and Bute Council · 23 November 2022
Back to Argyll and Bute HSCP Integration Joint Board (IJB) — 23 November 2022 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: 23 November 2022 Title of Report: Chief Officer Report Presented by: Fiona Davies, Chief Officer The Integration Joint Board is asked to: Note the following report from the Chief Officer Introduction I would like to welcome you to my Chief Officer Report for November and my thanks to those of you who have commented on the new format of the report which I introduced at the August IJB meeting. We are continuing to develop the report and feedback from the public and staff is very welcome. In this month’s report I would like to thank everyone involved in the autumn/winter COVID-19 and Flu vaccination programme for the amazing job they are doing. There are a whole host of people involved including the Vaccination Programme Team, support staff, volunteers and our GPs and staff who are delivering the programme on many of our islands. I would encourage everyone who is eligible to take up the offer of a vaccination as this will help protect our local communities. I have also included a short summary from the National Care Service Forum which took place on 3 October and was attended by a wide range of individuals and organisations, including representatives from the HSCP. This is such an important development by the Scottish Government and it is key that the HSCP continues to feed in to the overall process around the proposals for the National Care Service. In the operational challenges section I have outlined the pressures that our care at home services are under and the steps we are taking to further support providers. I would also like to personally thank our providers and carers for the work they are doing every day for their local communities. Our Winter Plan for this year has also been developed and this will ensure that there is additional focus on areas of operational pressure to support the resilience of our service delivery over the winter pressures period. I attended this year’s Scottish Health Awards which took place on 3 November and I was delighted that there were two finalists from Argyll and Bute. The Arrochar GP
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2 Surgery team were up for the People's Choice Award and also the Top Team Award. In the Innovation award category Rory Munro from the Public Health Team was selected as a finalist for his work on the Island COVID testing pathways. Rory and the Arrochar team just missed out on the night on winning an award but my congratulations go to them for making it to the final and highlighting the amazing work they have been doing for the people of Argyll and Bute. HSCP Updates Thank you to the Autumn/Winter Vaccinations Team We would like to thank the Vaccination Programme Team, support staff, volunteers and our GPs and staff (who are delivering the programme on many of our islands) for doing an incredible job in delivering the Autumn/Winter vaccination programme. The vaccination programme is definitely off to a strong start and the teams have been making immense progress in a very short space of time. I’m mindful that while we focus on our seasonal vaccinations that it is equally important to highlight our full vaccination program and the importance of this in protecting our whole community. If you have any questions about alternative clinics or rearranging appointments then please contact the Service Delivery Centre Helpline on: 08000 320 339. The line is open Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 5:00pm. Alternatively you can email the Vaccination Enquiry Hub at nhsh.covidvaccine@nhs.scot or reschedule online using the National Vaccination Portal. National Care Service Forum Representatives from the HSCP attended the National Care Service Forum which was held on 3 October. The event, which was led by the Scottish Government, was attended by a range of individuals and organisations including those with lived experience, unpaid carers, HSCP representatives, the Scottish Social Services Council, Third Sector, Trade Unions and Scottish Government Ministers and representatives. This was the first in a number of forums and it focussed on three themes: theme 1: The National Care Service- what's this all about? theme 2: Why the National Care Service is everyone's business theme 3: You said, we heard - but have we got that right? Exploring what people think, what they've said and if we've understood. During the day there were a number of discussions in relation to the growth in the demand for social care, making the sector fit for the future, learning what is working well, workforce challenges, the proposed model for the National Care Service and how it should be implemented. Please click here for further information on the Scottish Government's proposals for the National Care Service. Winter Plan
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3 The HSCP's Winter Plan is developed every year and pulls together the key elements which support the resilience of our service delivery over the winter pressures period. We work very closely with our partners as part of this approach and the plan will be regularly updated and further developed in response to any evolving operational requirements. The key aims of the Winter Plan are: Enhance community supports and adopt a home first approach Admission avoidance Timely Discharge including planned date for discharge Anticipatory Care Planning Organisational and service resilience Staff safety and well being Ensure we take into consideration a wide range of risks that may impact including adverse weather, impact of staff ill health and industrial action. A number of processes have also been put in place to monitor the Plan and these include: The Adult Huddle meets two times a week focusing on safety, flow and delayed discharges The Winter Planning Group will meet weekly (extending the Tuesday Huddle) from late October and escalations will come to the Senior Leadership Team A delayed discharge group which will meet weekly across Argyll and Bute NHS Highland Whistleblowing Champion Visit We would like to thank Albert Donald, NHS Highland Non-Executive Director and Whistleblowing Champion, on his recent visit to the HSCP in October. Bert visited a number of locations including Islay, Jura and Lochgilphead and met with a number of staff both individually and in groups. The Chief Officer accompanied him during his time in Argyll and Bute. Urgent and Unscheduled Care Programme Board On 2 June 2022 the Scottish Government launched a new programme to support the delivery of Urgent and Unscheduled Care Collaborative across all NHS Boards in Scotland. This links in with the national improvement initiatives under the banner of Right Care, Right Place, First time. NHS Highland has therefore reviewed its Programme Boards and has set up an Urgent and Unscheduled Care Programme Board which will cover the whole of the Board area. This Board will be chaired by the Argyll and Bute Chief Officer. Service Updates
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4 The HSCP’s Clinical Pharmacy Team recently welcomed Ian Rudd, NHS Highland Director of Pharmacy, to Argyll and Bute where he met with teams across the HSCP. The Pharmacy Teams assist patients to gain the maximum benefit from their medicines in all care settings and specialist clinical input is also provided to mental health and chemotherapy services. During his visit Ian was pleased to hear praise for the team’s contribution to patient care and to the wider healthcare team. Within Primary Care the Pharmacotherapy Service to GP practices is provided by a mixture of staff based within surgeries and also remotely from the Pharmacy Hub in Helensburgh. The Hub is a new development this year and helps in ensuring that an equitable service can be delivered across the whole of the HSCP. There are a wide range of colleagues working in the Hub including Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacy Support workers. Future conversations will take place around workforce planning, education and training developments to ensure that the team can continue to provide a sustainable and resilient service and develop to take on new roles particularly around Virtual Wards, Care homes and Mental Health & Addiction Services. Operational Challenges Argyll and Bute HSCP Care at Home Services Like other HSCPs across Scotland we are facing significant recruitment and retention challenges in providing sustainable care at home services. There are a number of reasons for these challenges including competition for staff from employers in other sectors and budget pressures due to rising fuel costs and the cost of living. We have been actively looking into how additional support can be given to care at home services and we have identified and approved a number of proposals. These include an hourly rate increase in the pay for staff, changes to the way of working in our localities to develop a more inclusive partnership approach and we are also looking at the frequency of how we pay providers for the work they do to help them. We have been in communication with all providers in relation to these proposals and meetings have been held with them to discuss the proposals in more detail. We are hopeful that this will help address some of the challenges they are experiencing and help them sustain and develop their business going forward. We would like to thank all our providers and carers for the work they are doing every day for the people who use our care at home services. National Updates Winter vaccines for remaining priority groups Over-50s were able to book their winter vaccines from 24 October protecting them from COVID-19 and flu and easing pressure on the NHS this winter. Those aged 50-64 can book an appointment on the NHS Inform website making it simple to
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5 arrange a time which suits them. Appointments can also be rescheduled online – with a national helpline available for those without internet access. Further information is available here. Preparing the NHS for Winter Additional funding of £8 million for overseas nurse recruitment and increased flexibility for Health Boards to retain staff are among new measures to support the health and care system through what is anticipated to be an extremely challenging winter. Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has outlined a number of actions for the coming months backed by more than £600 million of funding. Further information is available here. A new story for Dementia People with dementia and their carers will be at the forefront of improving the help and support they receive as a National Conversation is launched on the condition. This will be the first step towards a new dementia strategy. People living with dementia, their families and carers will be given the opportunity to spell out what is important to them, what needs to change, and how to build on the first dementia strategy in 2010. Further information is available here. Suicide Prevention Strategy Suicide prevention will be ramped up as the Government and COSLA publish a 10- year strategy to tackle the factors and inequalities that can lead to suicide. The strategy will draw on levers across national and local government to address the underlying social issues that can cause people to feel suicidal, while making sure the right support is there for people and their families. Further information is available here. Good News Marshall Dialysis Unit On Thursday 6 October, The Marshall Dialysis Unit at Victoria Hospital on the Isle of Bute was officially opened by Mrs Ann Polea, one of the founders of Bute Kidney Patients Support Group and in attendance were representatives from the HSCP, The Dr J N Marshall Island of Bute Memorial Trust and the Bute Kidney Patients Support Group. The new unit, which has been operational since November 2021, is part of Victoria Hospital Renal service and will benefit patients living on the Isle of Bute, who will no longer have to travel for dialysis treatment to Inverclyde. The unit has been funded by The Dr J N Marshall Island of Bute Memorial Trust and Bute Kidney Patients Support Group, along with successful local community fundraising.
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6 The unit has space to dialyse up to three patients at one time, reducing the need for some patients having to travel to Inverclyde for treatment and care. You can read the full press release here. Scottish Health Awards The Scottish Health Awards took place on 3 November and there were two finalists from Argyll and Bute. The Arrochar GP Surgery team was up for the People's Choice Award and also the Top Team Award. In the Innovation award category Rory Munro from the Public Health Team was selected as a finalist for his work on the Island COVID testing pathways. Although both just missed out on the night on winning an award we would like to congratulate them on making it to the final and thank them for the work they are doing for the people of Argyll and Bute. Scottish Health and Care Experience Survey The results from the latest Scottish Health and Care Experience (HACE) Survey from Public Health Scotland were recently published and highlighted large percentages of positive feedback from the public in Argyll and Bute about their experiences at their GP Practices. 77% gave a positive rating to the overall care provided by a GP practice. When asked about the last time they needed to urgently see or speak to a doctor or nurse from their GP practice, 93% of those surveyed gave positive feedback on the length of time they had to wait. There was a 74% positive feedback rating for getting to speak to a Doctor at a GP Practice, 84% for getting to speak to a Nurse, and 86% for a Pharmacist at a GP practice. During their appointments, 89% felt they were listened to and 88% felt they were treated with compassion and understanding. 89% of people said it was easy to contact their GP Practice in a way that they wanted The last couple of years have been a really challenging time for GP Practices as they have had to adapt how they deliver services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We were delighted to see such positive feedback from the public and would like to thank all GPs and their staff for everything they are doing for their communities. You can read the full press release here. Faster Access to Physiotherapy Services The HSCP has secured funding to pilot a mobile phone application called Phio App which can be used for managing musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries. The App is a clinically-led digital MSK condition assessment tool that is accessible 24/7 and provides patients with remote access to the right care faster. The aim is to improve health outcomes, the patient experience, reduce appointment waiting times and help meet the increased demand for physiotherapy services. As part of the trial the App is available to everyone across Argyll and Bute currently on the HSCP’s physiotherapy service waiting list and patients will receive an invitation by letter to access the service. Further information is available here.
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7 Staffing Updates Primary Care Manager - We are delighted to welcome Patricia Morrison, Primary Care Service Manager, to the Argyll and Bute Primary Care team. Patricia comes to us from NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde with a wealth of experience in primary care, including contracting and regulatory issues and Out of Hours. She will be the key link between practices and the HSCP and will provide specialist advice to the HSCP on all matters relating to General Practice. Clinical Governance Manager – Margo Howatson has joined the HSCP as the new Clinical Governance Manager, Margo comes to us from her previous role in NHS Orkney where she worked as a Clinical Nurse Manager. Although new to Argyll and Bute Margo is familiar with NHS Highland having worked as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care. Welcome to the team Margo.