Issue - meetings

Bruce Morris presented the report and advised that the Board had received a report previously on the establishment of a Joint Assessment and Discharge Service (JAD) that was intended to provide an integrated approach to the discharge of patients and the contributing partners were BHRUT, NELFT, LBBD and Havering: with LBBD leading the implementation and being the host for the service. 

The service was now fully operational and a Section 75 agreement was now needed to formalise the arrangements.  The CCG Governing Bodies had already signed off the Section 75 agreement and Havering were also going through the sign off process at the moment.

Bruce Morris said that the service had only been operational since June but had worked well through the winter.  Across the partnership it had been seen as positive in supporting the acute services, especially in the reduction of pressures on hospital A&E departments over the winter months, and partners were keen to use the service and felt it had a key role in supporting hospitals to facilitate safe discharge.  Brue Morris also drew the Boards attention to the Highly Commended Quality Award that JAD had recently received under the category of ‘Collaboration and Partnership Education’.

Bruce Morrison stressed that the service had not cost any extra money but had simply been the pooling of services that were already there. 

Dr Nadeem Moghal commented that the Chief Operating officers were also saying this new JAD was having a positive effect.

Councillor Turner asked about the awareness of adult safeguarding.  Bruce Morris advised that all JAD staff would be fully qualified social workers, occupational therapist, nurses or other health professionals that would have safeguarding training and this would ensure that safeguarding issues can be recognised and dealt with effectively and quickly.

The Board wished to place on record its appreciation to the staff and services who had risen to the challenge in finding and working in new and novel ways.

Having received and discussed the report, the Board:

(i)  Agreed the proposed S75 agreement, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report, and noted the successful implementation of the Joint Assessment and Discharge Service.

(ii)  Noted the positive performance of the Joint Assessment and Discharge Service and its contribution to winter planning and operational resilience across health and social care, the details of which were set out in Appendix 1 to the report. 

(iii)  Noted the Service had won an award for training under the category of ‘Collaborative and Partnership Education’

(iv)  Noted the Service had been provided from utilising existing resources in novel and different ways and as a result had not required additional financial support.