Area Clinical Forum Committee Report to Grampian NHS Board
Forum Meeting on 20th May 2015.
Purpose of Report
This report updates the Grampian NHS Board on key issues arising from the Forum meeting on 20 May2015.
Recommendation
The Board is asked to note the following key points:
- Advisory Structure Engagement and Agenda Setting
A number of advisory committee chairs have highlighted the challenge of engaging busy clinicians to become actively involved with advisory committees and the ACF. Members have stressed that engagement will be improved if advisory committee meetings have a clear and timely strategic focus. This will be facilitated by agendas populated with clinically relevant, future-focussed,strategic questions, so that clinical advice can be sought from those with relevant knowledge and experience, both within and out with the advisory structure. Where appropriate, advice can then beprovided in the form of a briefformal report. The ACF welcomes theIntelligentBoard approach which will facilitate this, as will the articulation of clear questions to be addressed by the advisory structure on matters of current concern or service development.
- Current Primary Care Challenges and Opportunities
The ACF has discussed the very serious challenges facing primary care in Grampian, particularly practices in the north cluster of Aberdeen City, due to demographic changes, recruitment challenges and sizeable housing developments is some areas. Members recognise the significant infrastructure challenges facing practices in terms of both premises and IT. A number of innovative ideas have been discussed by the committee, including the Prescription for Excellence, point of care testing by healthcare scientists and increasing advanced nurse practitioner training. However, the ACF recognises that solutions to many of the current challenges in primary care will require more radical changes in practice involving even greater multi-professional, collaboration and team working. As a multi-professional forum, the ACF welcomes the opportunity to facilitate consideration and discussion of different models of service provision for primary care over the coming months.
- Health Promoting Health Service
The ACF was updated on the Health Promoting Health Service (HPHS) action plan by Mr Imran Arain, the HPHS lead for NHSG. Members strongly support the development of projects incorporating the HPHS and the routine incorporation of this approach into therapeutic interventions as part of good clinical practice. Members will highlight the importance of HPHS through the advisory committees, and awareness of the new website which is due to go live in June 2015.
- Advisory Committee Constitutions
Following the Board’s formal approval of the revised ACF constitution, each professional advisory committee will be reviewing its constitution over the next 3 to 6 months to ensure consistency with the ACF constitution. The ACF constitution sub group will continue to meet to review each professional group’s constitution to ensure there is broad consistency of approach across these.
Helen Moffat
Chair Area Clinical Forum
May 2015
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