Issue - meetings

The Committee were presented with an update regarding the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (PAT) Transitions Programme.

The Transactions Programme was a technical process and services had been stabilised.  The programme would now move to the next phase in order to embed improvements in services.  A preferred option was that the Salford Royal Trust formally take over Oldham, Bury and Rochdale and North Manchester to be taken over by the Manchester Trust.  The two separate transactions were intrinsically linked and improvements would be delivered on all sites.

The Transactions Programme was being run as part of the NHS Improvement Guidance with a board created to oversee the programme which included all involved parties including Commissioners, Clinical Commissioning Groups and local authorities.

The benefits to patients were identified which included approach to quality, investment on sites, quality of care, patient experience and securing funding from the Department of Health. 

Communications and engagement was outlined and members were informed that a joint plan was in place.  Business cases were submitted as to how current services would be provided, and, as part of the process the final business cases would be agreed.  Patient and public engagement was key.  All staff should be briefed. The best way to create sustainable quality was to commit to the transaction programme.

Members asked about more funding and were informed of significant capital investment and ongoing discussions with NHS Improvements.

Pennine Acute were working toward good and also addressing a budget deficit.  Other issues included parameters for financial modelling, interest rate obligation, clinical negligence premium and a reasonable trajectory for improvement.

Members queried that North Manchester as part of Pennine Acute was still treated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as part of Pennine Acute.  Members were informed that sites had individual ratings and North Manchester would be picked up as part of the Manchester Trust assessment.

Members queried staffing issues and working toward a full complement of staff.  Members were informed that there had been an issue of Pennine Acute’s reliance on agency and temporary staff.  There was a plan to reduce this as well as a plan for staff retention.  Members referred to staffing issues related to bursaries and Brexit and were informed there was work ongoing on recruitment and retention.  Members suggested establishing a nurse bank and informed that was being addressed on an individual basis and across Greater Manchester.

Members referred to the period of ongoing changes and ensuring the wider community understood arrangements in place for hubs and Royal Oldham Hospital through publicity.  Members were informed on how this would be addressed with the Clinical Commissioning Group working with the local authority, Pennine Acute and Salford to make people aware and locality plans.

RESOLVED that:

1.         The progress on the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (PAT) Transitions Programme be noted.

2.         An update on the Transactions Programme be provided in six months.