Agenda item

Northern Care Alliance/NHS Trust to report

Consideration was given to a report of the Chief Officer, Northern Care Alliance which provided Members with an update on events and activities at Royal Oldham Hospital and across the Northern Care Alliance’s (NCA) footprint.

In terms of the Healthier Together business case, there had been a consolidation of acute surgery across Greater Manchester.

The Committee noted that the ‘due diligence’ findings of the Care Quality Commission, that had arisen as part of the Pennine transaction process. The Committee were advised that a major factor was the poor current position of the NCA’s estate, especially backlog maintenance which was significantly behind schedule. The Committee was informed that at the Royal Oldham Hospital (ROH) there was a problem relating to bed deficit.

In order for the NCA to meet critical care standards they would have to improve the flexibility of the estate and improve the patient flow at the ROH. When these were achieved there would be an improvement of patient and staff experience. There was though currently a lack of capacity, in terms of staffing resources and space for the ward upgrade programme.

The meeting was informed of the current expansion of facilities at the ROH site. For Phase 4A, a business case had been approved by NCA’s Board to deliver the following;

•             A 5,337m² new build

•             Two new 24-bed wards

•             A new theatre above the Emergency Department

•             Total capital value was approximately £29 million

•             Delivery currently programmed for August 2023 (8 weeks slippage)

In addition, the fit-out programme, which had previously been reported to the Committee was due to deliver: an 8 bed CCU (to connect to Phase 4B to create 24 beds overall) and a four-room endoscopy suite.

Members were advised that a further expansion of the Oldham campus, adjacent and connected to Phase 4A, was planned. A business case had been approved by NCA Board to deliver:

•             A 5,337m² new build

•             2x fully fitted 24-bed wards

•             1x fully fitted 24-bed decant ward

•             16 bed CCU connected to 8 bed CCU in Phase 4A (total of 24 beds)

•             Total estimated capital value: c. £43.5m and the delivery had been estimated as June 2025

In terms of Phase 4B, a detailed design for the building had been completed at RIBA 3. A procurement process was underway and it was expected that confirmation of the preferred contractor would be received by the end of October 2022.Discussions were ongoing including with greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Department of Health to ensure the availability for funding to commence building works from 2023/24 onwards.

The Committee was informed that following the successful Pennine Acute transaction and acquisition by SRFT/NCA and MFT, good progress had been made to disaggregate several key services, however some services still required definitive ‘disaggregation’. The integration of these services into MFT and NCA, maximised the opportunity to realise the benefits originally envisaged in the organisational restructuring as determined by NHS Improvement. It was a complex and wide-ranging piece of work and had been handled carefully to minimise the impact on patients and staff. It had, as well, benefitted from excellent working relationships between MFT and NCA.

A significant amount of disaggregation and realignment had taken place in September 2022 to support the effective delivery of the MFT electronic patient record (EPR) programme - Hive.There were a residual set of services that present the most complex in respect of service disaggregation. NCA and MFT working collaboratively to agree approach and develop proposals, with commissioner oversight and involvement of localities and OSCs.

The creation of the ICS could lead to changes in process. Any substantial services changes will be follow the agreed framework for commissioner engagement and public consultation.

In considering the report Members were advised that they were welcome to visit facilities at ROH to view the progress being made.

Resolved:

1.    That the report be noted.

2.    That the Committee notes and welcomes the invitation for them to visit the facilities at Royal Oldham Hospital and request that the Clerk to the Committee make the appropriate arrangements.