Loading
The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
AGREED – (i) That an item on the Market Stability Report for Adult Social Care be scheduled into the work programme. (ii) That the Committee undertake a full review of the work programme at their Meeting in September. (iii) That subject to the above, the work programme be agreed.
AGREED – (i) That the Committee convey their thanks to everyone at the Welsh Ambulance Service, both here at today’s Meeting, and also those working on the frontline. (ii) That the Committee receive a further report in 12 months’ time. (iii) That further information be provided to Committee Members on the NHS 111 Awareness Raising Campaign and the Multi-Disciplinary Team. (iv) To recommend to the Chief Officer Governance & Customer that a link to the published lists/maps of the location of defibrillators be posted on the Council’s website. (v) That Councillors seek opportunities to work with other agencies and partners to promote first aid training in the community, with priority being given to carers.
AGREED - (i) To thank representatives of BCUHB and the North Wales Community Heath Council for the information provided and attending the meeting today. (ii) That a further update on progress be submitted to Committee in 12 months’ time, to include the following information:- · Average number of appointments and also appointments cancelled as a result of a shortage of GPs. · Phone call activity and call waiting times following the introduction of the new system. · Feedback on complaints. (iii) To recommend that BCUHB improve communication with patients regarding proposed changes/improvements to managed GP practices. (iv) To recommend that Councillors work with other agencies/partners in their communities to promote first aid volunteers.
AGREED - That Meetings of this Committee be held at 4pm on the following dates: 13 July 2022 12 April 2023 14 September 2022 10 May 2023 12 October 2022 14 June 2023 9 November 2022 12 July 2023 14 December 2022 11 January 2023 8 February 2023 8 March 2023
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Andy Williams and Derek Wright.
AGREED – That the Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday 9 March 2022 be signed as a correct record.
Members were reminded of their responsibility, under Paragraph 11 of the Members’ Code of Conduct, to declare any interests in relation to any of the business to be transacted at this meeting. The following declarations were made: Councillor Jeremy Kent – Item 6 – GP Practices and Recruitment June 2022 - personal - employed for the vaccination programme through Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board. The Councillor remained in the meeting taking part in the discussion and voting thereon. Councillor Becca Martin – Item 6 - GP Practices and Recruitment June 2022 – personal – registered as a patient at Hillcrest Surgery. The Councillor remained in the meeting taking part in the discussion and voting thereon.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – (i) That an item on the Market Stability Report for Adult Social Care be scheduled into the work programme. (ii) That the Committee undertake a full review of the work programme at their Meeting in September. (iii) That subject to the above, the work programme be agreed.
The Chief Officer Governance & Customer submitted a report (COGC/55/22S) asking Members to consider the Committee’s work programme and to consider a Scrutiny Topic Selection Form in respect of the development of an action plan in response to a Market Stability Report for Adult Social Care. AGREED – (i) That an item on the Market Stability Report for Adult Social Care be scheduled into the work programme. (ii) That the Committee undertake a full review of the work programme at their Meeting in September. (iii) That subject to the above, the work programme be agreed.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – (i) That the Committee convey their thanks to everyone at the Welsh Ambulance Service, both here at today’s Meeting, and also those working on the frontline. (ii) That the Committee receive a further report in 12 months’ time. (iii) That further information be provided to Committee Members on the NHS 111 Awareness Raising Campaign and the Multi-Disciplinary Team. (iv) To recommend to the Chief Officer Governance & Customer that a link to the published lists/maps of the location of defibrillators be posted on the Council’s website. (v) That Councillors seek opportunities to work with other agencies and partners to promote first aid training in the community, with priority being given to carers.
The Chair of Safeguarding, Communities and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee submitted a report (COGC/58/21S) asking Members to consider an update regarding the measures to reduce the current operational pressures, demand and response times of the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust (WAST) across the Wrexham County Borough. Jason Killens, Chief Executive of the Welsh Ambulance Services was welcomed to the Meeting. He gave a presentation to Members and updated them on the following: · Quality and Performance Information: o Emergency Medical Services – BCU Demand. o Breakdown of red demand calls (life threatening) o BCU Health Board Production o Hospital Handover Lost Hours. o Abstractions – staff sickness. BCU Red Performance. o BCU Health Board Amber 1. o National Reportable Incidents. · Quality and Performance Improvement Actions: o Strategic Demand and Capacity Review o Strategic Review Findings (and actions arising) o Strategic Review – Re-Rostering Project o Strategic Review – Hear and Treat o Tactical Actions · Future Service Model The following points were raised during the presentation: · The volume of life threatening cases has doubled in the last 18 months. That work is more resource intensive and often have more than one resource sent to them. Only 46% of emergency responses to red calls were arriving within 8 minutes, which was now below the target of 65%. · Amber calls have no time target, but the quality of the experience of patients was always measured. · The service respond to some of the less serious cases or provide advice over the phone. There has been an increase of activity of the less serious cases of approximately 2.5%. · With respect to ambulances, there was a target to meet 95% of production against staff rosters. There had been under-production, but recently the service have been nearer the targets. · Ambulance handover times had increased significantly resulting in 6,000 hours of lost ambulance time in the last 18 months. · Confirmation that wellbeing support was in place for staff, and as a result, improvements were being made in attendance rates. · Disappointingly, the number of incidences of serious harm resulting from ambulance response delays had increased. Members asked a number of questions that were responded to accordingly. The following points were highlighted during the detailed debate: · Request for further information regarding the new clinical health contact service and the referral process. Members were advised that at present, clinical contact centres provided advice over the telephone, but video consultations would be rolled out later this year. · Confirmation that Welsh Government had providing funding for an awareness campaign to be launched to highlight the 111 Service. The campaign will cover what the service is, how patients can access it, and when it is a good alternative to other services offered. · Clarification sought regarding the number of empty beds/wards. Members were advised that there weren’t any empty wards or beds at the hospital, but that cleaning requirements following a patient discharge could take up to 4 hours where a patient had had an infection such as norovirus. · Further information requested regarding the amount of ambulances waiting outside the hospital. It was confirmed that this was the single biggest issue which was impeding the ability to respond in the community, and a complex one. Reasons included insufficient staffing in the Maelor Hospital and also patients who were medically fit for discharge but who were unable to be released due to lack of availability of social care. · Confirmation that the Fire and Rescue Authority still provided assistance in taking patients to hospital. It was noted that they were equipped with defibrillators to assist the seriously ill patients, but work was also being done to develop the possibility of them responding to the less serious incidents, such as assisting people who had fallen but had no injuries and just needed help in getting up. · Clarification sought regarding staffing levels. Members noted that a lot of work had been done with regards to recruitment which had significantly reduced the gaps in nursing staff, but recruiting Doctors was still a major issue. It was noted that a practitioner programme to work with nurse consultants and nurse therapists was being developed in order to make nursing roles more attractive. · Suggestion that not enough people in the community were aware of how to use a defibrillator, and it was suggested that first aid training should be rolled out within the community, particularly for young carers who didn’t always have enough first aid knowledge. · Confirmation that help from the military ended around mid-March, and this had contributed to some of the loss in production. · Members were informed of a website (The Circuit - the national defibrillator network) which was a national database to register the location of defibrillators. Members were asked to ensure that defibrillators within their Wards were registered on the database which would ensure that if used, they would be replenished, but also, to allow the Call Centre to make bystanders aware of their existence whilst ambulance crews were on their way to the scene of an emergency. There was also a website (Defib finder – find the defibrillators nearest you.) which allowed a postcode to be entered in order to locate the nearest defibrillators. · Confirmation that there were approximately 1000 volunteers across wales who were first responders that were trained and equipped to respond to emergencies within their community. AGREED – (i) That the Committee convey their thanks to everyone at the Welsh Ambulance Service, both here at today’s Meeting, and also those working on the frontline. (ii) That the Committee receive a further report in 12 months’ time. (iii) That further information be provided to Committee Members on the NHS 111 Awareness Raising Campaign and the Multi-Disciplinary Team. (iv) To recommend to the Chief Officer Governance & Customer that a link to the published lists/maps of the location of defibrillators be posted on the Council’s website. (v) That Councillors seek opportunities to work with other agencies and partners to promote first aid training in the community, with priority being given to carers.
Decision as recorded
AGREED - (i) To thank representatives of BCUHB and the North Wales Community Heath Council for the information provided and attending the meeting today. (ii) That a further update on progress be submitted to Committee in 12 months’ time, to include the following information:- · Average number of appointments and also appointments cancelled as a result of a shortage of GPs. · Phone call activity and call waiting times following the introduction of the new system. · Feedback on complaints. (iii) To recommend that BCUHB improve communication with patients regarding proposed changes/improvements to managed GP practices. (iv) To recommend that Councillors work with other agencies/partners in their communities to promote first aid volunteers.
(Members declarations of interest in relation to this item are set out in Minute 3 above) The Chair of Safeguarding, Communities and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee submitted a report (COGC/57/22s) asking Members to consider an update on the measures put in place to address the problems being experienced when trying to access General Practitioner (GP) services across areas of the Wrexham County Borough. Andrea Hughes, The Acting Director Area East, BCUHB was welcomed to the Meeting. She introduced the report and gave an update on the measures put in place to address the problems being experienced when trying to access GP services across areas of Wrexham, including a briefing from the Primary and Community Care Academy regarding the GP Workforce Recruitment and Retention Plan. Members were updated on the following: · National shortage of staff – G.P’s, Nurses and Paramedics · The complex system of employment for G.P.’s · The Recruitment and Retention Plan for G.P.s · The promotion of the Flexible Model and the offers being made through the Primary Care Website which offers a flexible model to those G.P.’s who want to work in North Wales. Andrea Hughes introduced Rachel Page to the Meeting and she gave a presentation to Members. She drew their attention to the progress being made at Hillcrest, Forge Road and Borras GP Practices and the following update was provided: · Recruitment now completed for nursing team within the Hillcrest Group. · Reception posts are completed and the practice is operating at a safe level. In addition, existing legacy staff transferred on TUPE conditions are now being offered Health Board agenda for change contracts of employment. This process is expected to be completed by end of June 2022. · The GP Practices continue to utilise remote triage from GP Hub in addition to the two long term locum GP’s who have joined the team. Another long term locum GP was recruited in November to support the practice. · The new telephony system has been implemented and has created additional lines into the practice with robust call waiting times. · The system also records all calls to enable the management to deliver better, more specific training and guidance to staff. · The website and social media platforms are currently being finalised with a view to launch end of June 2022. · The new system will allow for more interaction online including consultations, ordering medication, registering with a GP Practice and other additional access points. · The new clinical Multi-Disciplinary Team triage model for “One List” will be implemented June 2022. The call will be placed onto a triage list which will be viewed periodically throughout the day by the whole clinical team (GP, Nurse, Advanced Nurse Practitioner). · The patient will be contacted with an appointment with the more appropriate clinician either by telephone or F2F within 3 working days · The care navigation training for all receptionists has been completed, which has upskilled staff to effectively signpost patients appropriately to on the day services. Geoff Ryall-Harvey, Chief Officer North Wales Community Health Council, spoke about concerns in relation to the requirement of the GP Proforma List which was unique to Wales. It could take three months to get onto the list by which time G.P’s who may have considered positions here in North Wales may have looked elsewhere. Members asked a number of questions that were responded to accordingly. The following points were highlighted during the detailed debate: · Assurances were sought that the delay to the positive impacts yet to be experienced by patients from the improvements was due to the fact it was still early days. · Reassurance that the new systems and procedures would be communicated to patients, particularly the website. · Assurances were given that the improvements are ongoing and that the Communications and Engagement Plan will include Patient Forums, Newsletters etc. · Concerns regarding the need for a GP referral in order to access the Primary Care Centre. · In response to a question on how service improvement could be measured, Members were advised that monitoring the number of complaints, and communication methods would be best used. A Plan would be put in place by BCUHB. · Assurances that work was underway with Universities to help recruit staff in the longer term. · BCUHB confirmed that they would not be making a decision to move any BCUHB managed practices back to GP managed practices for the remainder of this year to reduce any further unsettlement. · Concerns raised that it was unlikely that the number of GPs per population would be the same in the future due to the issues around recruitment and retention of GPs. BCUHB advised that it was their intention to have the full cohort. · The proposal for the closure of the Alyn Family Doctors in Gresford had been withdrawn. The situation at Chirk was more complex and was currently being reconsidered due to cross border issues. AGREED - (i) To thank representatives of BCUHB and the North Wales Community Heath Council for the information provided and attending the meeting today. (ii) That a further update on progress be submitted to Committee in 12 months’ time, to include the following information:- · Average number of appointments and also appointments cancelled as a result of a shortage of GPs. · Phone call activity and call waiting times following the introduction of the new system. · Feedback on complaints. (iii) To recommend that BCUHB improve communication with patients regarding proposed changes/improvements to managed GP practices. (iv) To recommend that Councillors work with other agencies/partners in their communities to promote first aid volunteers.
Decision as recorded
AGREED - That Meetings of this Committee be held at 4pm on the following dates: 13 July 2022 12 April 2023 14 September 2022 10 May 2023 12 October 2022 14 June 2023 9 November 2022 12 July 2023 14 December 2022 11 January 2023 8 February 2023 8 March 2023
AGREED - That Meetings of this Committee be held at 4pm on the following dates: 13 July 2022 12 April 2023 14 September 2022 10 May 2023 12 October 2022 14 June 2023 9 November 2022 12 July 2023 14 December 2022 11 January 2023 8 February 2023 8 March 2023
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.
The council hasn't recorded attendance for this meeting.
Lists the council's current councillors only. Co-opted members, officers and former councillors aren't shown.