Area Clinical Forum Report to the NHS Grampian Board
Committee meeting on 18thJan 2017
Ensuring Ongoing Clinical Engagement with Advisory Structure
ACF members recognise the importance of ensuring there is broad awarenessand engagement with the advisory structure amongst junior and recently qualified clinical staff, and of succession planning for future membership of committees. Several advisory committees have taken steps to pro-actively engage new and junior staff in clinical advisory committees, through for example, trainee attendance or shadowing at meetings, ensuring managers recognise and support attendance, and making information about the work of committees readilyaccessible to professional colleagues.A number of professional committees have agreed to work together on an induction pack for new members.
Maintaining and improving clinical care within current financial constraints
The AreaClinical Forum recently heard presentations about NHS Grampian’s current financial position, as well as the ongoing programme for innovation and transformation of care, in particular, elective care. The Committee agreedthat innovation and service redesign, led by clinical staff, will be essential to ensure the best possible care for patients in the current financial climate, whilst maintaining staff morale and retention in the face of very significant service pressures. Members highlighted the importance of ensuring that staff engage with the opportunities for service improvement, particularly with the elective care programme, and the advisory committees will take an active role in supporting and promoting this. Members also noted that some staff may perceive current financial pressures as a threat to services and possibly jobs, and appreciate senior managers pro-actively allaying such fears.
The Area Clinical Forum and The Health and Social Care Partnerships
Now that the Health and Social Care Partnerships have been operational for some time, the ACF would like to ensure that the link between the Integrated Joint Boards and the ACF, which was agreed in the recently revised ACF Constitution, becomes active and operational. This will be taken forward through discussions with the Chief Officers.
ACF members noted a wide range of challenges, opportunities and some concerns in relation to the three Health and Social Care Partnerships, whilst fully acknowledging that the landscape of healthcare delivery continues to change and evolve as these organisations establish their new structures. Members noted the additional time and patience required to ensure strong relationships, shared knowledge and practice across the three partnerships and acute sector services. In addition, whilst there are benefits to services evolving in response to local needs and preferences, some members highlighted the risks of fragmentation,diverging priorities, and difficulty reaching joint decisions, particularly for small pan Grampian services. Above all, ACFmembers who work across community and acute settings agreed that shared understanding and collaboration are essential for service development, innovation and the best possible patient experience and outcomes. It was noted was that there is some confusion about the structures, relationships and operation of the IJB’s and partnerships amongst those in other parts of the organisation. There is a risk that this impedescollaboration between clinicians at different stages in the patient’s journey of care. It was suggested that a succinct and simple guide to the structure of the partnerships could help to address this.
Helen Moffat
ACF Chair
January 2017