Agenda item

North Powys Programme

To receive a briefing on the North Powys Programme.

Minutes:

Documents:

·         North Powys Wellbeing Programme – presentation slides

 

Carly Skitt, Assistant Programme Director, gave the Committee a presentation on the Programme which will deliver a model of integrated care across north Powys initially and across all of Powys in the longer term.

 

Discussion:

·         A key driver for the development in the north of the County was that planned care services were moving further away from the area and an aspiration to deliver services closer to home.

·         Digital opportunities are increasing and have been further developed due to the pandemic

·         The outcomes of the programme are to promote health and wellbeing, prevention and promote independence

·         The Programme will also improve integration

·         Public sector assets will be developed across partners

·         The Programme will also support the carbon reduction agenda

·         Transformation funding was obtained and the project was commenced in 2019 to develop an integrated model of care

·         The pandemic saw the model of care be put on hold

·         The Programme Business Case will be submitted to the Welsh Government within the next few weeks

·         The multi agency campus vision is continuing to develop

·         A community first approach is being taken

·         There will be further public engagement over te summer and autumn

·         A Community Development Officer is being recruited to drive this forward

·         Work is ongoing with schools to develop how the hub can be used

·         The focus will also be on Start Well

·         The project has continued during the pandemic, but operational teams have necessarily been focussed on pandemic work

·         Three priorities have been identified in the short term

·         Self Care – supporting those with long term conditions and enabling care to be provided closer to home

·         Ambulatory Care – care closest to home for those with the highest clinical need, ophthalmology, respiratory services etc

·         Frailty – integrated community model and join up services to focus on prevention

           Demand capacity and financial modelling has been commissioned

·         The Business Case will be submitted to the Welsh Government during Q3 although there are some challenges with capacity at an operational level to support this work

·         The Committee questioned how the Council had been involved with design of the programme and with the governance and assurance required.  The Portfolio Holder confirmed that there had been partnership working from the start. The Programme had been developed following a needs assessment.  Both partners are committed to the person-centred approach.  This ties in with Powys’ corporate ambitions including carbon reduction.  The third sector have also been heavily involved.

·         The Head of Service informed the Committee that the Authority had been integral in developing the Health and Care Strategy and has been an active partner in driving the new model of care.  As work progresses, clinical and professional groups are working closely together.  There is further work to undertake with Education and Housing.  Demand has changed during the pandemic and there have been some delays too.

·         The Portfolio Holder highlighted the strengths that had been shown to work in communities during the pandemic and she wanted to maintain that level of community involvement.  Health and Care should be delivered closer to the residents

·         The Team were also working with special schools as well as mainstream schools

·         There is no confirmed timeline at this stage.  It is hoped the building will be opened in 2026 and the new school in 2024.  Further work on sequencing will be undertaken.

·         Members questioned whether it would be possible to recruit into the right jobs at the current time.  The new Health and Care Academy will be key in developing the workforce.  Clinical leads will not be recruited as it is expected that specialists will travel to the Hub.  Workforce planning is key and a dedicated workstream has been established to move this forward. 

·         It was suggested that the potential for the project was enormous but, whilst the clinical benefits were easy to see, care must be taken to ensure all benefits were achieved.  Other services such as addiction services, family support and disability services amongst others must be considered.  It was suggested that greater scrutiny could be undertaken of the detail in the Working Group once these were re-established.

·         Although a Communications Strategy is in place, Members were of the opinion that the public were not fully informed.  This was another aspect which had been delayed due to the pandemic, but would be addressed shortly.  Further engagement will be established as the project moves forward.

·         The Committee welcomed the project and collaborative working but highlighted the need for clear Terms of Reference including roles, responsibilities and accountabilities as well as funding structures.  A comprehensive Risk Register is in place.  Clear terms of reference and roles and responsibilities regarding service delivery are in place.  A partnership workstream is discussed at the Programme Board.  A shared understanding of goals and challenges will be fundamental.

·         A number of sites had been considered and an options appraisal undertaken by an independent company.  The preferred site satisfied access requirements, proximity to the town and connectivity with partners.  The site will be a centre for dispersed services across the north of the County

·         The Committee asked that education be involved and were advised that the service was represented on the Senior Programme Team.  A children’s stakeholder group is also planned

·         The Committee asked to be kept informed regarding progress of the Programme

 

Outcomes:

·         The Programme will be considered by the Committee in early 2022 when there will be a clearer understanding of which services are to be provided.

Supporting documents: