Agenda item

To receive and consider a presentation on Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Trust Action Plan and Strategy for Financial Recovery.

Councillor Kath Benson, who had declared a prejudicial interest in the item, left the room for the duration of its consideration. Councillor Andrew Stansfield was in the Chair.

Mr Bennett, Director of Finance advised that Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust had reviewed clinical and financial sustainability over the previous 12 months. He highlighted the key challenges as a growing financial deficit, higher than expected mortality rates as reported by the Keogh review in 2013, lower than desired Care Quality Commission (CQC) ratings, a growing demand for non-elective services, difficulties in meeting targets consistently and recruitment and retention of clinical staff. Mr Bennett advised that in order to provide a sustainable future the challenges must be addressed.

The Committee was informed by Mr Bennett that the Trust had established a number of working groups consisting of clinical and operational leaders in order to identify ways in which to address the identified challenges. He added that the working groups focussed on six subjects including urgent/emergency care and long term conditions/out of hospital care and that potential solutions had been divided into three timeframes. It was highlighted that some solutions could be achieved by the Trust and that others required a joined up approach with partners.

Mr Bennett advised that the outcomes of the working groups had been translated into six ambitions, each with a key measure of success. It was noted that the first ambition was to reduce the levels of mortality from the current level of 112 to less than 100 in three years, which was the current national average. In response, Mr Bennett reported that in addition to the six ambitions, seven work programmes had been developed including standardising care to deliver high quality to all patients and getting the most value from resources.

The Committee discussed the ambition in relation to staff satisfaction noting the considerable increase in target from 69% to 85% in five years and queried how the increase would be achieved. Mr Bennett advised that the Trust was implementing an organisational development programme to ensure that leadership was more clinically focussed and that it was envisaged that a more engaged workforce would improve patient satisfaction.

Members queried the work programme to standardise care, in particular relation to maternity services, and raised concerns that patient choice would be removed. The Committee was assured by Mr Bennett that standardised care would not remove patient choice and that the work programme related to the standardisation of outcomes and not the standardisation of the pathway.

The Committee queried how the Trust would achieve the target mortality rate whilst managing the financial pressures of the organisation. Mr Bennett advised that there would be financial consequences to achieving the target and that the predicted cost had been included in the financial plan. He added that achieving the mortality rate target would be difficult as the national average would also continue to reduce.

In response to questioning, Mr Bennett advised that the Trust was trying to address the recruitment and retention issue in innovative ways. He added that there was a national shortage of consultants in many specialties, including Dermatology, resulting in a need to redefine and redesign service models rather than continue to rely on consultant led services.  In response to a further question Mr Bennett advised that staff turnover was comparable to other Trusts in Lancashire and that there were a number of reasons staff left the organisation including age and career enhancement.

Members discussed the timescales in relation to the targets and Mr Bennett advised that progress would be monitored on a regular basis. The Committee requested that Mr Bennett attend a future meeting of the Committee to report on progress made against the targets identified by the Trust.

The Committee agreed to request a report from Mr Bennett in approximately six months detailing the progress the Trust had made in relation to the ambition targets and work programmes.