Agenda item

To update the Committee on key areas of progress across the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System. 

Dr Amanda Doyle, Chief Clinical Officer of Blackpool and Fylde and Wyre Clinical Commissioning Groups and Chief Officer of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System presented a report that set out the identified developments and progress made in creating the governance structure and system architecture of the Integrated Care System (ICS), including a high level overview of finances.

Members noted that the original Sustainability Transformation Plan had promised health improvements when first introduced approximately two years ago and queried what had been achieved to date. Dr Doyle advised that a number of high impact interventions had been put in place, with programmes developed for smoking cessation, reduction in alcohol consumption, healthy weight and reducing high blood pressure amongst others. She reported that although impact of the programmes was not necessarily visible in the short term, such programmes would address the underlying health challenges in Blackpool and create long term results with gradual improvement.

In response to questions, Dr Doyle advised that the Integrated Care System was formed of five Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs), one of which was the Fylde Coast. She added that underneath the ICPs was a further layer consisting of groups of GP practices, of which there were six in Blackpool, each encompassing an area of between 25,000 and 40,000 residents. It was noted that a commissioning framework was in place and that services were commissioned either centrally or locally dependent on need and specialism. For example, specialist stroke units requiring specialist technology and clinicians would be commissioned on a central basis, with additional support for isolated and/or frail people commissioned and provided on a local basis.

Dr Doyle highlighted the key challenges as recruiting and retaining a large, specialist workforce and funding. Responding to Committee questions, she added that the ICS had a £40 million funding gap, but that financial targets would be met in Blackpool. Assurance was also provided that Blackpool would not be subsidising other areas in the ICS.

The Committee discussed the provision of services for lung cancer treatment in detail and noted that late diagnosis in Blackpool was a key issue. Dr Arif Rajpura, Director of Public Health advised that the earlier lung cancer was diagnosed the increased likelihood that it could be treated successfully. It was noted that funding would be used to raise awareness and diagnostics and that a ‘lung fit bus’ would be utilised in Blackpool to promote and carry out testing in the community.

Members went on to consider the financial shortfall in detail and noted that additional Governmental funding was expected. Dr Doyle advised that key priorities would be considered alongside underlying structural gaps. She cited that it was important to develop services outside of acute hospitals to address the additional problems presented by an aging population and ensure that services were both effective for patients and cost effective.

The Committee concluded the item by seeking assurance that the developments outlined in the report were being progressed and Dr Doyle provided this assurance explaining that all developments were happening but that achieving the significant service change would be a long process.