Agenda item

An update by the Chair of NHS Devon Clinical Commissioning Group, attached.

The Board received the Report of the Chair of the NHS Devon Clinical Commissioning Group which provided an update on CCG business, Devonwide and national developments within the NHS. It was intended to provide the Board with summary information to ensure Members were kept abreast of important developments affecting the NHS.   The Board noted the updates in relation to:

• Vaccination Programme - Thousands of people in Devon were being vaccinated against COVID-19 every day as the biggest vaccination programme in the NHS’s history gathered pace.  The NHS had a clear vaccine delivery plan and would contact local people when it was their turn to get the vaccine.
• How local people could play their part - There were four actions that people in Devon could do to help the NHS give the vaccine to as many local people as possible, as quickly as possible:  

i.    Choose the right service for needs as GPs were now managing extra pressures from the vaccine programme. Consider self-care for minor illnesses and injuries. Face-to-face appointments at your local practice could still happen if your GP felt this was appropriate. 

ii.   Attend all appointments, whether for a vaccine, to see a GP or at hospital. 

iii.  Don’t make things harder for the NHS by calling hospitals or GP practices about getting the vaccine – the NHS will contact people at the appropriate time. Blocking phonelines with queries stopped other people getting healthcare and diverts staff time, meaning the vaccine rollout would be slower. 

iv.Follow Government rules – the vaccines were a significant development, but the country was not out of the woods. Remember, ‘Stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives’ and ‘Hands Face

·     Vaccinations in care homes - Care home residents and staff had been set as the highest priority group by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, the Oxford vaccine did not need to be stored at ultra-low temperatures and was much easier to move, making it easier to use in care homes.

·     Hospital hubs - Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, Torbay Hospital in Torquay, the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple were all giving vaccinations to priority groups. 

·     GP-led local vaccination centres - GP practices were working together to set up local vaccination centres across Devon, with 16 now established, serving 104 practices, with more to follow soon.

·                CCG Accountable Officer and Chief Executive of Devon’s Integrated Care System - The CCG had been recruiting for the joint post of Accountable Officer for both the CCG and the Chief Executive of Devon’s Integrated Care System. This was in line with national policy and mirrored the joint CCG and system arrangements put in place in some successful systems nearby.  Jane Milligan had been appointed to the role, had worked for the NHS for 33 years and had extensive strategic commissioning and operational experience.

·                Integrated Care Systems - NHS England considered a document outlining legislative recommendations that could make ICSs statutory corporate NHS bodies. This could mean CCG statutory functions being merged into the ICS.  Devon CCG was in a good position for these changes having already prepared for system working by:  

·       Merging the two Devon CCGs; 

·       Updating senior leadership structure; 

·       Implementing joint teams and roles across the CCG and the Devon system; and

·       Providers collaborating and sharing resources.

·               Teignmouth and Dawlish consultation - the CCG Governing Body approved a series of recommendations, which would see some services moved from Teignmouth Community Hospital to a new Health and Wellbeing Centre in the town centre and some services to Dawlish Community Hospital.

·       Outstanding engagement - The CCG has been rated ‘outstanding’ for patient and community engagement for the second year running

·       Think 111 First model introduced in Devon from Tuesday 1 December - In line with the rest of the country the CCG had launched a campaign advising the public on how to make the right healthcare choices to ensure their safety, as well as making sure they got the right treatment in the most appropriate place – this was known as Think 111 First.

Members discussion points included:

• There were more patients in hospital than in the previous two peaks, with approximately 10% requiring intensive care treatment.  The Nightingale hospital was now open and being provided with additional support from the armed forces to help staff the hospital.
• Devon was currently doing better than its neighbouring authorities and was looking at how NHS Services could support patients from outside of Devon.
• Vaccinations – all 4 hospitals in Devon were providing the Pfizer vaccine. There were 20 GP practices up and running. Care homes were also being vaccinated, and the County was on target to get all care homes vaccinated by the end of this weekend, as per Government targets. Pharmacies would also start to support the vaccination rollout, especially in North Devon and Plymouth.  One mass vaccination site had opened in Taunton, with two more sites within Devon expected to be announced in due course.
• Devon was following national guidance, and repeating the 2^nd vaccine dose after 12 weeks.  Should national or international research and guidance change, the County was in a position to be able to return to the 3 week gap between doses.
• In Devon, 98,234 vaccines had been given to date.  This had been a Countywide effort, with support from leisure centres, pavilions, job centres all helping out to deliver the vaccines, and was a testament to the work of the people of Devon to make this possible.
• The RDE had struggled with levels of staffing during this latest peak; this had improved slightly post-Christmas.  Whilst the hospital was doing better than forecast, compared to the first wave staff were not just responding to COVID but also the usual winter pressures, and other illnesses etc.
• The vaccination programme was being delivered primarily by the CCG, along with primary care teams and hospitals. They were also working alongside the LA to identify carers as part of second cohort.

·       The vaccination programme had been positively received by residents within Devon.

RESOLVED that the Report be noted