Presentation from Jo Galloway, Coventry and Rugby CCG, Melanie Coombes, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust and Elaine Clarke, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire
Minutes:
The Sub Group received a joint presentation from Jo Galloway, Chief Nursing Officer and Deputy Accountable Officer, Coventry and Rugby CCG, Elaine Clarke, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, UHCW and Mel Coombes, Chief Nurse, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, CWPT on the NHS response to the ongoing covid-19 position, in particular the planning and preparedness.
Jo Galloway reported on the third phase of the NHS response, with the NHS priorities since August being:
Accelerating the return to near-normal levels of non-Covid health services;
Preparation for winter demand pressures, including flu planning and planning for potential Covid-19 spikes;
Doing the above taking into account lessons learned during the Covid-19 peak; tackling challenges; supporting staff; and taking action on inequalities and prevention.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Health and Care Partnership had developed a system plan which looked to accelerate the restoration of non-Covid health services to pre-pandemic levels between now and March 2020.
Reference was made to the system approach to Infection Prevention and Control which included joint funding streams to bolster IPC resources; recruitment to 5 additional posts; a targeted programme of support for care homes and domiciliary; a resilience programme to ensure the Covid security of all care homes was in place; and system and place-based Flu plans. A new IPC Strategy was to be developed.
The presentation referred to the work of the CCG which included the lead and operationally run the Central Incident Control Centre for Coventry and Warwickshire; providing mutual aid through redeployment of staff to frontline service providers; leading the collating and reporting of Covid information to support planning and monitoring of cases and service utilisation; and influenza vaccination planning and support. Work on the restoration of services involved working with partners to ensure services were reinstated safely and in line with national ambitions.
Additional information was provided on the work with GPs, whose practices were open for the delivery of face to face care along with remote/online triage and the use of remote/video consultations. Enhanced health in care homes was being provided with weekly check-in; face to face visits; personalised care support plans; and clinical pharmacy and medicines support. There was daily reporting from Practices to the CCG to ensure prompt response to infection outbreaks, and concerns relating to infection prevention needs e.g. PPE supply, staffing concerns.
Elaine Clarke highlighted that the following key areas have been factored into the winter preparations at the hospital: sustain current beds and capacity, including independent sector capacity & Nightingale; expand and deliver seasonal flu vaccination programme & Covid-19 vaccine if/when available; increasing the range local services, such as direct referrals to Same Day Emergency Care and specialty ‘hot’ clinics; and continue to work collaboratively across the system to minimise MFF.
Attention was draw UHCW’s planning assumptions which were categorised as gold (strategic), silver (tactical) and bronze (operational delivery). Reference was made to UHCW winter plan which set out operational delivery arrangements and had been produced by various internal work streams. The winter plan aimed to demonstrate that UHCW was: building upon the learning from previous winter plans factoring in Covid-19 complexities; identifying the demand on all areas and their dependency on one another; ensuring that seasonal demand would not compromise patient care, safety, and experience; and identifying potential risks with clear actions in place to mitigate impact.
Mel Coombes reported on the Covid-19 response at CWPT which involved a Covid admission ward in operation along with an option to open a ward for Learning Disability services if needed but had not been required to date. Consistent messages and reminders to staff were continually given out and the Partnership was learning from outbreaks with extra vigilance when in non-clinical settings. Covid secure risk assessments were in place for non-clinical areas.
Other responses included engaging with Public Health England and Clinical Commissioning Group Infection Prevention Control Leads for managing outbreaks and clusters; introducing a small dedicated team for management of outbreaks; having a Covid-19 Vaccine Steering Group which was working in partnership; and increasing safeguarding activity/referrals. Waiting lists continued to be monitored and the majority of services continued to operate as business critical across Mental Health, Learning Disability and Community Health with the utilisation of technology where appropriate.
Members expressed support and appreciation for the ongoing dedicated work of the three organisations in the current covid climate and there was an acknowledgment of the need for local residents to be made aware of all the co-ordinated partnership work that was happening in the city to provide reassurance.
RESOLVED that the NHS response to the ongoing covid-19 position be noted.