Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee
22 June 2018
Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust (BSUH) Regional Working Group and South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) NHS Foundation Trust Regional Working Group Progress Reports
Information Report by Director of Law and Assurance

Summary This cover report has been prepared by the Senior Advisor, Democratic Services supporting the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee, to allow members to consider recent and planned ongoing scrutiny of the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust (BSUH) and South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) NHS Foundation Trust Regional Working Groups, following Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections. Current scrutiny of the Trusts is undertaken by health overview scrutiny committees (HOSC) working groups with membership from West Sussex, East Sussex and Brighton & Hove health with the addition of Surrey, Kent and Medway health and overview scrutiny committees for SECAmb. The Committee is asked to note that it was agreed at the last meeting of the SECAmb regional working group that the group would cease to meet. This is due to challenges in member attendance and confirmation from SECAmb Chief Executive that his executive team was sufficiently resourced for SECAmb representatives to attend individual scrutiny committees in future. The focus for scrutiny The Committee is asked to consider the notes attached from the last meetings of the working groups and highlight any strategic issues that it wishes the HASC representatives on the BSUH working group to raise at its next meeting. A date is yet to be confirmed. Recommendations The Committee is asked to: Consider the detail of the notes attached to this report from the recent meetings of the BSUH and SECAmb regional working groups; Note that the SECAmb Regional Working Group will cease to meet in future and the SECAmb representatives will attend future HASC meetings, when invited ii. Highlight any particular issues that members wish the HASC representatives to raise at the next meeting of the BSUH regional working group.

Proposal

Background and Context

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust (BSUH)

1.1	Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust (BSUH) runs the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected BSUH and in August 2016 published its findings, rating the Trust as ‘Inadequate’, highlighting concerns in the safe, responsive and well-led domains. The Trust was subsequently placed in special measures. This report was published on the CQC’s website and can be found here:

http://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/new_reports/AAAF5032.pdf

1.2	At the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee (HASC) meeting in January 2017 it was agreed that ongoing scrutiny of the Trust, taking into account that BSUH covers the populations of three local authorities, would be conducted by a regional HOSC working group with membership from West Sussex, East Sussex and Brighton & Hove overview scrutiny committees. Mr Turner, Dr Walsh and Mrs Jones are currently HASC’s representatives on the regional working group with Cllr Belsey as a substitute member.

1.3	Management responsibility of BSUH transferred to Western Sussex Hospitals Foundation Trust in April 2017, just before the Trust was re-inspected by CQC. As a result of the re-inspection, the CQC moved the Trust to ‘requires improvement’ overall, having recognised improvement in most areas identified by the previous inspection but recommended that the Trust remain in special measures.

1.4	The regional HOSC working group last met on 4 April 2018 and notes of the meeting are attached to this report as Appendix A.

South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) NHS Foundation Trust

1.5	South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) NHS Foundation Trust provides ambulance services to residents of Sussex, Surrey and Kent. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected SECAmb and in September 2016 published its findings, rating the Trust as ‘Inadequate’, highlighting concerns around leadership and safety. NHS Improvement subsequently placed SECAmb in special measures. This report was published on the CQC’s website and can be found here:

http://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/new_reports/AAAF5030.pdf

1.6	At the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee (HASC) meeting in January 2017 it was agreed that ongoing scrutiny of the Trust, taking into account that SECAmb covers the boundaries of six local authorities, would be conducted by a regional HOSC working group with membership from West Sussex, East Sussex, Brighton & Hove, Surrey, Kent and Medway health and overview scrutiny committees. The Chairman and Vice Chairman are HASC’s representatives on the regional working group.

1.7	SECAmb was re-inspected by the CQC in May 2017 the findings of which were published on 5 October 2017. Inspectors continued to find the Trust to be ‘Inadequate’, with leadership and safety remaining particular areas of concern. As part of the inspection report, SECAmb was given 17 ‘must-dos’ by the CQC, i.e. 17 areas where specific action was required. The findings of the CQC’s most recent inspection into SECAmb can be found at the following link:

http://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/new_reports/AAAG5730.pdf

1.8	The regional HOSC working group met last on 19 March 2018 and notes of the meeting are attached to this report as Appendix B. Member attendance at the regional meetings has become increasingly challenging due to the vast geography the Trust covers. The SECAmb Chief Executive, Daren Mochrie confirmed that his executive team was now sufficiently established, so he could guarantee senior SECAmb attendance at individual scrutiny committees. Therefore, it was suggested that the regional working group cease to meet and that regional scrutiny committee’s undertaken formal scrutiny of SECAmb individually in the future.

Factors taken into account

Issues for consideration by the Select Committee

2.1	The Committee is asked consider this cover report and appendices and highlight any strategic issues that it wishes HASC representatives to raise at the next meeting of the BSUH regional working group.

Consultation

3.1	The Chairman and Vice Chairman have been consulted on the detail of this report.

Risk Management Implications

4.1	None as this report is for information purposes only.

Equality Duty

5.1	None as this report is for information purposes only.

Social Value

6.1	None as this report is for information purposes only.

Crime and Disorder Implications

7.1	None as this report is for information purposes only.

8.	Human Rights Implications

8.1	None as this report is for information purposes only.

Tony Kershaw

Director of Law and Assurance

Contact: Helena Cox, Senior Advisor 0330 22 22533

Appendices	:

Appendix A – Notes from BSUH Regional Sub Group meeting on 4 April 2018

Appendix B – Notes from the SECAmb Regional Sub Group meeting on 19 March 2018

Background Papers - None