STP Update – COVID 19 Restore & Recovery

Steve Trenchard - Executive Director of Transformation, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin CCG’s

David Evans, Chief Officer, CCGs, stepped in to present the report (copy attached to signed minutes) on behalf of Steve Trenchard, Executive Director of Transformation, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin CCGs, who was experiencing problems accessing the remote meeting.  The report covered the restore and recovery phase of the Systems Response to Covid 19, processes in place to address this as a system, and capturing learning and risks and mitigations as part of the restore process. 

Mr Evans explained how some services had been shut down quickly or rapid changes made in the way they were delivered at the outset of the pandemic. 

With winter approaching, very careful planning would be needed to restore services and a framework had been developed for restoration which involved consideration and sign off at Bronze, Silver then Gold tiers.   The framework would include consideration of safety and PPE supplies, impact on staffing, and impact on other organisations.

A clear agreement was in place to restore services, however, to allow social distancing, 200 beds had been lost throughout the system and this along with a backlog caused by drops in diagnostic and theatre capacity would impact on time taken to get back to pre-pandemic condition.  He reported that Social Care and Health colleagues had been working more collaboratively and collegiately than ever before and system leaders were committed to continue working this way into the future.

The Chair asked to what extent that innovation in the use of digital technology during the pandemic could be taken forward and whether this could this help free up capacity in conventional clinical environments.

Mr Evans explained that it was intended to progress with this positive change, however, a balance needed to be struck between risk in ability to assess patients and using technology in this way.  Dr Povey explained that remote consultations took up more time than normal face to face consultations.  

Dr Povey emphasised the importance of getting the message to the public that GP services and emergency care were open and available and that they should not be reticent about seeking help if needed.  The Chair felt if it could be useful for the Health and Wellbeing Board to help get this point across.

Lynn Cawley, Healthwatch, offered the support of Healthwatch in getting this message out.  The Healthwatch April and May report had shown that people had not been seeking help as they thought surgeries would be very busy, and others had not wanted a telephone appointment.

Ros Preen, Community Health Trust, reported that technology had been made available to all providers at the outset to support patients gain access using video technology. The Community Health Trust intended to continue to make use of this into the future and although not a panacea, it had been a considerable help over the last months.

The Board noted that GPs were nonetheless as busy as they had ever been, and activity levels had been rising over the last four weeks throughout health and social care.  Hospitals were at 80 – 85% of pre-Covid admission levels. 

The Chair thanked Mr Evans for stepping in to present the item.  The Board looked forward to a further update at the next meeting.