Agenda item

To consider a report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which will provide current performance data from NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds, together with information on issues raised by the Board at the meeting on 21^st December 2011

(report attached)

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which presented the latest performance data from NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds.  The report also provided details of the following areas, highlighted at the December Scrutiny Board meeting:

·  Bariatric surgery

·  Fractured Neck of Femur operated on within 48 hours

·  Stroke care.

Appended to the report was a copy of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) report that identified improvements needed at St. James’ University Hospitals (part of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT)).

The following representatives attended the meeting to present the report and respond to Members’ questions and comments:

• Graham Brown, Performance Manager, NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds.
• Al Sheward, Divisional Nurse Manager (Medicine) – Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
• Karl Milner, Director of Communications and External Affairs – Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Prior to discussing the item, apologies were provided on behalf of the Executive Director for Delivery and Service Transformation (NHS Airedale, Bradford & Leeds), who had been due to attend the meeting.  Apologies were also received on behalf of the Chief Nurse (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust) who was unable to attend due to an unannounced Care Quality Commission visit at the Trust.

The key points of discussion were:

• Clarification about some of the acronyms used in the report, highlighted as follows: RTT – referral treatment time; and AAACH – all ages, all causes, mortality.
• Acknowledgement of further improvement needed in relation to fractured neck of femur operated on within 48 hours.  The Scrutiny Board was informed that penalties were imposed if targets were not met.
• Greater capacity needed to undertake orthopaedic surgery.
• The positive impact of publicity in the media that raised awareness about strokes and heart disease.
• Strong concern about targets not being met in relation to early intervention in psychosis and the reasons attributed to this.
• Update on LTHT Accident & Emergency waiting times – latest position 95.4%, up from 93.4%.  (Members were advised that the national standard from April 2011,had been revised to 95%, from the previous standard of 98%). Further information/ clarification was sought on the data, including the classification of patients that had been removed as part of the data validation process.
• Further work taking place as part of a national programme to attract health visitors into the profession.

In relation to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) report, the following issues were identified:

• Serious concern about staffing shortages, particularly in relation to older persons care.  Actions were being taken by the Trust to ensure this was being addressed and that there was a consistency of approach across departments.
• Concern in relation to the logging of sick leave and other types of absence.

(Joy Fisher withdrew from the meeting at 11.55am, Councillor Armitage at 12 noon and Councillor Chastney at 12.03pm, during the consideration of this item.)

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

(b)  That further information regarding the impact of not meeting the early intervention in psychosis target be reported to the next meeting on 18 April 2012. 

(c)  That more detailed information about the local work being undertaken to promote the health visiting profession and increase the number of health visitors be reported to a future meeting of the Board.

(d)  That a further progress report on Fractured Neck of Femur be presented to the Board in the new municipal year.

(e)  That consideration be given to receiving a detailed report around delayed hospital discharges in the new municipal year.

(f)  That, focusing on older people’s care, further information around the nature of the nursing gap at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust be reported to the next meeting on 18 April 2012.