Frequently asked questions about our Sustainability and Transformation Plan
- What is a Sustainability and Transformation Plan?
All health and social care organisations in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Swindon and Wiltshireare working together on a five-year sustainability and transformation plan (STP). The aim is to improve our local population’s health and wellbeing, to improve service quality and to deliver financial stability.
This joint approach will also help deliver the aims of theFive Year Forward Viewand is in line with other important national guidance such as GP Forward View, Mental Health Taskforce Report and National Maternity Review.
- Why do we need to change the way we deliver services?
There are growing pressures on the health and care system, nationally and locally. The proportion of older people is rising and there are more people living with complex conditions. This is contributing to an increased demand for services.
Overall across B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire, the standard of health and care services is very good compared to other areas in England.
But some challenges remain. Our hospital A&E departments are under pressure, in some areas patients are waiting too long for GP appointmentsand there are gaps in quality, with some parts of our region benefitting from better health and care services than others. Additionally every part of the local health and care system is facing growing financial challenges.
So we are working on a collective plan to drive greater efficiency and improvements in quality across the health and care system. For services to be sustainable, we also need to get better at preventing disease, not just treating it, and encourage everyone to take responsibility to manage their own care.
- Does our STP area mean our residents will be required to travel to Wiltshire and Swindon for specialist health services, rather than Bristol?
No, this is not the intention of the STP. The STP is about looking for opportunities to join up/connect local services as well as manage some services across a wider geographical area. It is not about making access to these services inconvenient to patients.
- Who are we working with?
Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) will work together to develop a single STP.
The emerging STP focuses on shared challenges and opportunities across the wider geographical footprint. This is 'place-based' planning that is not limited by organisational boundaries. The BSW health and social care system encompasses a combined population of over 920,000 residents. The partner organisations within our STP area include:
- BaNES, Wiltshire, Swindon CCGs including GP members
- B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire Councils
- Great Western, RUH and Salisbury Hospitals
- Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP)
- Sirona care and health
- SEQOL
- Wiltshire Health & Care
- South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT).
- Who is leading the development of the Sustainability and Transformation Plan for BSW?
James Scott, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust (RUH) Chief Executive is leading the BSWSTP as senior responsible officer.
- We already have local plans that are right for our local population. How do these fit with the STP?
The health and care needs of the STP population are diverse and we are developing a joint approach that takes this into account. We will also ensure italigns with individual organisational plans and local Health & Wellbeing Board strategies.
- Will our STP result in changes to our local NHS governance structure?
No – the local, statutory architecture for health and care remains, as do the existing accountabilities for Chief Executives of provider organisations and Accountable Officers/Chief Officers of CCGs.
STPs are about ensuring that organisations are able to work together at scale and across communities to plan for the needs of their population, and help deliver the Five Year Forward View.
- How are the views of patients, carers and the wider public being taken in to account?
Drawing on the experience of those that use health and care services will help us to redesign services and to develop new models of care that are sustainable. We already have considerable insight and information about the health and wellbeing needs of our local population. An example for this is engagement fortheyour care, your waycommunity services review.
However, our STP is being developed collaboratively and we are committed to ensuring the views of patients are taken into consideration. We are working closely with Healthwatch andthere are plans for a public stakeholder engagement event in early autumn. Updates and any further opportunities to get involved will be posted on partner organisation websites.
- What next for our STP?
We do not have an established relationship across all health and care organisations in B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire, unlike other STP areas, so we are at an early stage of development.
We share our outline proposals for the next five years with NHS England at the end of June. Over the coming months, we will strengthen our governance structure and continue to develop a robust STP. This will enable us to qualify for additional funding through the Sustainability and Transformation Fundfrom 2017/18 onwards, to help deliver our plans.
Please visit for further updates about our STP or email with any queries.
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