Issue - meetings

The Panel considered the report of the Associate Director of Quality, NHS Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), providing the Panel with an overview of Continuing Healthcare in Southampton.

Stephanie Ramsey - Director of Quality and Integration and Chief Nurse, NHS Southampton City CCG, Carol Alstrom – Associate Director of Quality, NHS Southampton City CCG and Tania Emery - Interim Clinical Lead for Continuing Healthcare, NHS Southampton City CCGwere in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The Panel discussed a number of points including:

·  the complexity of the rules regarding eligibility for continuing healthcare.  It was explained that eligibility criteria was set by the Government and that each application is assessed by a Multi–Disciplinary Team (MDT).  It was stressed that should an applicant be assessed as requiring continuing healthcare by the MDT then this would be funded by the CCG.  The Panel were informed about the timescales involved and the appeals process.  It was further noted that there is a different scheme for patients who require end of life care and that these patients were fast tracked to ensure that they receive the care they required;

·  how the MDT was constituted.  The Panel noted that training is an ongoing process, and that the CCG are regularly audited to ensure consistency in decision making, but recognised that there were concerns with regards to the level and suitability of training provided. 

·  the apparent variation between the numbers of Continuing Healthcare assessments and the numbers determined to be eligible for Continuing Healthcare during the period between Quarter 3 in 2017/18 and Quarter 1 in 2018/19.  The Panel were unable to ascertain why there appeared to be an increasing disparity between those applying for support and those deemed eligible.  The Panel requested that metrics that detailed the numbers of recipients of support in Southampton be supplied alongside comparisons of other comparable local authorities; and

·  the need to lobby Government to simplify the process and criteria.

RESOLVED that the Panel requested that:

(i)  Southampton City CCG undertake and provide analysis for the Panel that would clarify the reasons for the variation between the numbers of Continuing Healthcare assessments and the numbers determined to be eligible for Continuing Healthcare during the period between Quarter 3 in 2017/18 and Quarter 1 in 2018/19;

(ii)  the Panel be provided with a suite of benchmarked performance metrics to enable the Panel to compare performance in Southampton with other areas of the country in regard to Continuing Healthcare provision;

(iii)  NHS Southampton City CCG investigate the use of mobile conference facilities for care homes to enable health and care professionals to attend multi-disciplinary team assessments remotely.

(iv)  The issue of Continuing Healthcare is considered when the proposed Social Care Green paper is discussed by the Panel.

NOTE:  Councillor Professor Margetts explained to the Panel that he had some knowledge of the system as he had a personal experience of the service