Agenda item

Siobhan Harrington (BEH Clinical Strategy Programme Director) and Mark Easton (Chief Executive of Barnet and Chase Farm (BCF) Hospitals NHS Trust) delivered a presentation on Better Healthcare in Barnet, Enfield and Haringey.

The Committee were informed that NHS London had approved the BCF Hospitals NHS Trust Outline Business Case for capital investment.  Detailed business planning was taking place to achieve Full Business Case approval by the end of November 2012.  Members were advised that there were four ongoing workstreams.  It was highlighted that the workforce changes workstream would be particularly significant.   It was noted that as part of the workforce changes workstream, a Reference Group and Chase Farm Vision Group, chaired by Dr Atish Patel (Chairman of the Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group), had been established to ensure that key stakeholders had an input into the development of proposals. 

The Committee noted that an additional workstream relating to transport had also been established and this was being chaired by Mark Easton.  In response to questions from the Committee, Mr Easton reported the following:

·         that a previous Transport Study was being revisited and refreshed in the context of the BEH Clinical Strategy;

·         that an additional 202 car parking spaces would be provided at the Barnet Hospital site to deal with the current demand and anticipated future demand following the transfer of Accident & Emergency (A&E) and Maternity services from Chase Farm Hospital; and

·         that the Transport Group would be working with Transport for London regarding the reconfiguration of bus routes to ensure that Barnet Hospital was properly served by public transport. 

Members expressed concern that there very limited direct public transport links to Barnet Hospital which should be taken into account when developing a revised Transport Strategy.  Mark Easton undertook to feed this back to the Transport Group.  

Responding to a question, Siobhan Harrington advised Members that despite being five years old, the BEH Clinical Strategy was regularly refreshed by both the Trust and commissioners. 

The Committee noted that whilst the primary function of the BEH Clinical Strategy was to deal with service changes, this would not preclude reviews of other services including those provided at Finchley Memorial and Edgware hospitals. 

In relation to the proportion of current A&E admissions that would be dealt with by the Chase Farm Urgent Care Centre (UCC), Mark Easton advised the Committee that this was estimated to be approximately 40 per cent.  Statistics relating to the number of patients presenting at Barnet and Chase Farm hospitals from local NHS trusts were tabled.  

Dr Sue Sumners reported that the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) would be working closely with BCF Hospitals NHS Trust to educate patients about the most appropriate care pathway.  The Committee expressed concern that some patients felt they were not being given GP appointments sufficiently quickly, resulting in a number of patients presenting at A&E unnecessarily.  Members were advised that the CCG and Trust were aware of these issues and were taking steps to address this by providing multiple access points and undertaking triage calls. 

In relation to Foundation Trust status, the Committee were informed that this would only be achieved by BCF Hospitals NHS Trust combining with the Royal Free NHS Trust as North Middlesex NHS Trust had withdrawn from negotiations.

In relation to the UCC proposals and the proposed merger with the Royal Free NHS Trust, the Cabinet Member for Public Health advised the Committee that an UCC had been promised as part of the BEH Clinical Strategy which had not gone ahead to date.  She added that part of the criteria for a possible merger with the Royal Free NHS Trust would be a commitment to implementing the BEH Clinical Strategy. 

Resolved that:–

1.             the Committee note the update on service changes across Barnet, Enfield and Haringey.

2.             the comments set out above relating to public transport be referred to the BEH Clinical Strategy Transport Group.

3.             the Chief Executive of Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust be requested to provide the Committee with information on the frequency of the staff bus between the Barnet and Chase Farm hospital sites.

4.             Barnet LINk be requested to provide their report on GP Waiting Times to the Committee for consideration.