Issue - meetings

The Board welcomed Colin Scales, Chief Executive Officer from Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHFT), who provided an update on the position of the Trust in relation to Quality Surveillance by National Health Service England (NHSE).  They also provided the results of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection September 2018. 

          The Board was advised that due to concerns raised by CCGs and NHSE, BCHCF received a three month Enhanced Surveillance Notice and commenced a comprehensive programme of work to improve safety and quality of care using a Quality Risk Plan (QRP).  A review of this took place on 7 September 2018, where the Trust provided significant evidence of improvement which was subjected to further scrutiny by commissioners.  Following a further review on 24 October 2018, it was agreed to remove the enhanced surveillance and further scrutiny of the outstanding actions would be carried out via the Collaborative Commissioning Forum (CCF) rather than directly by NHSE.

It was explained that the actions within the QRP relating to Woodview Child Development Centre were removed and included in a separate plan for Woodview.  The scrutiny of the remaining actions of the Woodview plan were now undertaken by the CCG.  It was announced that there had been significant improvements, which included staff engagement in developing services and greater involvement with families.

The report provided further detailed information and the following was clarified following Members’ queries:

·       The Woodview plan was still ongoing and parents were encouraged to share their concerns with the Trust directly;

·       CQC feedback was still awaited regarding the Quality Risk Plan;

·       the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health had been commissioned to carry out an external review on Woodview.  Their findings would be shared with the Board once finalised; and

·       Healthwatch Halton would be hosting a feedback event on the improvements made at Woodview on 26 March 2019.

Members were asked to note the position in relation to quality surveillance and the CQC, and acknowledge the improvements made by the Trust.

RESOLVED:  That the updates are noted.