Issue - meetings

The Board received an update from Dr Andrew Davies – NHS Halton CCG and Nicky Ambrose-Miney – Senior Commissioning Manger Urgent Care, NHS Halton CCG, on the development of the Borough’s two Urgent Care Centres (UCC) into Urgent Treatment Centres (UTC).   

Members were advised that Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) was one of the national service improvement priorities.   It was noted that the clinical review of the current UCC model stated that neither UCC was fully compliant with NHSE expectations for UTC’s for the reasons stated.

The report outlined the core standards for UTC’s and how this would apply to Halton residents.   Officers advised that to ensure the two local centres met the needs of the population, NHS Halton CCG were conducting a consultation on the model, including the CCG’s proposal to reduce the opening hours by two hours a day. 

The Board was advised that a pre-consultation engagement was held from 24 October to 12 December 2018.  Its purpose and the main themes that came out of the consultation were discussed in the report.  Following this a formal eight week public consultation commenced on 7 January 2019 and would run until 3 March 2019.   The consultation process was discussed in detail which included how the public would be engaged in the process.

Members were also advised that from 1 October 2018, GP led cover at Widnes and Runcorn UCCs for 6 hours per day (12 noon – 6 pm, 7 days per week) had been implemented.   The impacts of this were described in the report.

The following points were added in response to Members’ queries:

·       The procurement process for the UTC’s was a formal process prescribed by national guidance;

·       Although there was interest initially with private providers, these had not continued with the process in Halton;

·       Once the UTC’s had been implemented, the onsite GP’s service would be negotiated with the new provider but the requirement would be for more than 6 hours per day;

·       The pre-consultation document questions were available and would be shared with the Board;

·       Patient online appointment bookings were still being encouraged;

·       Members’ comments regarding the improvements needed at ‘front of house’ in dealing with patients in the UCC’s were noted; and

·       Once the UTC’s were implemented; patients attending the Centre would have access to free parking.

The Chair requested that the Officers return in September with an update.

RESOLVED:  That the Board

1)    notes the outcomes of the pre-consultation engagement;

2)    notes the procurement timetable; and

3)    notes the impact of standardised GP cover in the Urgent Care Centres.