Agenda item

For the Sub-Committee to receive a progress report from Pennine Acute Trust

regarding the progress they have made against their CQC improvement action plan.

The Sub-Committee gave consideration to a report and supplementary update of the Associate Director Mental Health and Specialist Services – Oldham Borough, which informed them of the progress made by Pennine Care Foundation Trust (PCFT) against their CQC improvement action plan.

Karen Maneely, Associate Director Mental Health & Specialist Services – Oldham Borough, attended the meeting and highlighted the following from the latest inspection report:

• CQC inspected PCFT across all 5 of the domains
• Still overall: Requires Improvement
• Good progress made since 2016 report by the time they were re-inspected in August 2018
• Some challenges re care of male patients – have now re-opened refurbished male ward (Oak Ward)
• Single gender wards now – Aspen (female) and Oak (Male)
• Significant challenges previously re funding for staffing – Commissioners have now invested across Oldham adult and older adult inpatient wards.  Multi-disciplinary standards have improved in all wards.
• Therapy hub is now an outstanding facility
• Staff also have a range of physical skills as well as mental health skills base
• Now have a female lounge on Cedars Ward
• Therapeutic offer on ward massively improved
• Workforce development and recruitment/engagement at a GM and local level – making PCFT the best place where people would want to work.

Members asked for and received clarification of the following:

·       Support for potential staff who want to come back to work/have families/caring needs - It was explained that the Trust offered options lot to encourage people to work for them including flexible working that was open and accessible for all staff.  There was a need to ensure the wards were covered as necessary and the Trust tried to accommodate flexible working requests where possible.  Newly qualified health professionals were supported in their development.

·       Concerns about staffing shortages in light of current national picture – It was explained that, as well as improving recruitment, the Trust had a good record of staff retention and had looked to make the Trust a good place to work and remain, including offering rotation patterns for staff development. A new Executive Director of HR and Workforce had been recruited and it was accepted staffing would be a challenge in the future.

·       Areas for improvement – It was acknowledged there were still issues around data as some areas were still using paper records. The PCFT was moving towards all-electronic records and three more areas in Oldham had gone live this week.  In relation to Mental Health, progress was being made and there were two practitioners to support and teach people at a local level re mental health law and legislation.  This was a standard agenda item at the forum meetings so progress could be tracked.

·       Were electronic records going to be accessible to all staff – The Trust had moved to mobile working where each practitioner had a personal tablet they could use to access the system remotely.

·       Progress made as part of the transitional change – It was explained that Community Services were the subject of formal consultation with the proposal that they move to a new provider.  The Trust was working hard from HR/Finance perspective to confirm what would stay or move.  It was clarified that a Trust-wide action plan would be available from 1 April 2019 which would set out the action plan.

·       Budget management – It was recognised that the Trust had fewer resources than other organisations and the Board were working to improve their bids for funding to ensure parity.  The Board were focusing on gaining extra investment.

·        Action Plan – Confirmation would be sought that the action plan due on 1^st April could be shared. Action: Action Plan to be brought back in June 2019 (pending agreement by PCFT)

Members agreed they would to take up the offer of a visit to the improved facilities.

RESOLVED that the progress as outlined in the report be noted.