Issue - meetings

Dr John, Clinical Director, Barking and Dagenham CCG presented a report on the trial of two new home based intermediate care community services and the case for change based upon evidence gathered through the trial, which had started in November 2013, of an expanded community treatment team (CTT) and the new intensive rehabilitation service (IRS).  The report and presentation provided details of the pre consultation business case and consultation period, which would end on 1 October 2013. 

Dr John stressed that both the CTT and IRS had been well utilised during the trial, with both services performing above expected activity rates.  Patients had been able to access IRS and community beds within an average of 2 days from referral, as opposed to 5 days before.  The service provides short-term support for people experiencing a short-term health care crisis and 34% of referrals to CTT are from the patients themselves or their carers and family.  90% of patients receiving care form CTT and IRS are supported at home and do not require admission to hospital and 94% of patients referred to IRS had improved outcomes.  Since the launch, the service had seen an increase from 2,100 to over 7,000 people being seen.  In addition, the admissions to acute care have been reduced, when compared to bed based services.  Dr John explained that services, such as physiotherapy were provided in people’s homes, and there was international evidence to suggest that patient outcomes are much improved when services are delivered in patients home environments.

The 12 week consultation period included on-line questionnaires and face-to-face events. The event for Barking and Dagenham would be held on 11 September at the Barking Learning Centre.

Dr John then advised that there was an issue with the empty bed rate, the details of which were set out in the report, and they were looking at a number of options but that any decision would be tempered by affordability and funding available, however, King George’s Hospital was the only site that could accommodate the bed numbers needed.

The Chair raised a number of concerns in regards to the differences between the three boroughs not being recognised, an increasing and ageing population in the borough and, if the service closed, what would happen to the clinics and Gray’s Court buildings.  The Chair also stressed that access to King George’s Hospital is a major issue for LBBD patients.  Dr John accepted that the points were valid but the proposal to remove beds from Gray’s Court was based on getting patients better quicker.  Dr John stressed that it was an issue of clinical safety as there is not enough clinical support at Gray’s Court, particularly overnight, and if people deteriorated they would have to be moved to another hospital: whereas if they are on a site with more clinicians it would remove the need for an emergency ambulance transfer and the need to go through processing on arrival at the A&E.  Clinicians were advising that the safest way to provide  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41