Report of the Deputy Place Based Lead and the Executive Director Adult Social Services

In September 2023, the Manchester Health Scrutiny Committee and the Council Executive was presented with a forward view of the plans for this winter. The following paper describes the current progress in implementation of winter plans, and summary of pressures within the urgent care system.

The Committee considered the report of the Deputy Place Based Lead and the Executive Director Adult Social Services that described the current progress in implementation of winter plans, and summary of pressures within the urgent care system.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Delivery of operational resilience across the NHS this winter, noting the four key areas of focus to help local systems prepare for winter;

·         An update on the Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Funds;

·         Discussion of industrial action;

·         Urgent Care Pressures and Urgent Care Performance;

·         Information on the Greater Manchester System Control Centre (GM SCC);

·         Organisational winter deliverables, by organisation, noting that the plans considered lessons learned from last winter, aligning with the system’s urgent care recovery goals and with the core principle of working together as partners to keep people well at home; and

·         Summary.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:

·         Recognising and welcoming the partnership approach described;

·         Welcoming that North Manchester General Hospital had recorded the best ambulance turnaround times in the country during November;

·         Noting the important role that Community Pharmacies played to support residents especially with regard to flu vaccinations;

·         Noting the reported low Covid-19 vaccination rates; and

·         Requesting further information on Hospital at Home.

The Deputy Place Based Lead for Health and Social Care Integration, NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care highlighted the whole system approach that was evidenced by the range of partners who were referenced throughout the report and present at the meeting. He stated that planning for this activity was ongoing and all opportunities for reflection and learning were utilised and shared.

The Director of Public Health referred to the discussion relating to flu and Covid vaccination rates by commenting that Covid vaccination rates had fallen, stating that this could be attributed to complacency and vaccination fatigue amongst the general population. He made reference to Manchester having strong vaccination coverage within its care home population. He stated that the key Public Health messaging around the importance of vaccinations was important, especially in regard to the issue of measles and referred to the national media coverage this had received following increased cases in the West Midlands.

The Group Chief Operating Officer, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust reiterated and acknowledged the importance of system wide partnership working, adding that patient safety was everyone’s responsibility. She further made reference to the importance of vaccinations, noting that flu admissions at the hospital had doubled in the last week. She said that all levers of influence and channels of communication should be utilised to articulate this important message. 

The Chief Operating Officer, MLCO described that the Hospital at Home included virtual wards or other technology-enabled care at home, provided the care and treatment a person would expect in a hospital in the place they called home.

The service brought together nurses, doctors and other health professionals to deliver the hospital care a person needed. It combined the latest health technology with the specialist knowledge of doctors and nurses working in the Greater Manchester health and care system. The Medical Director, North Manchester General Hospital commented that this facility was strengthened and supported by shared electronic patient records and that all patients were clinically assessed to ensure this model of care was the most appropriate and this approach provided the patient with increased choice in their care.

Decision

To note the report.