York delays in treating ambulance patients revealed

On New Years Eve 47 patients had to wait for over an hour in ambulances as they waiting for treatment at York Hospital.

The full figures can be viewed by clicking here

The statistics mirror problems at other hospitals across the region and country generally

As December went on delays gradually increased.

York had suffered earlier in the month with an outbreak of norovirus. At its peak 47 beds were closed.

By the end of the year 834 beds (90%) were occupied at the hospital.

The government has been criticised for failing to anticipate the heavy demands for care that arise over each festive period.

Bed blocking – Care Quality Commission to probe failings in York

The probe comes in the wake of figures that reveal that the total number of days that patients have were delayed during the year to May 2017 was 10,436.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is reviewing the York health and social care system and delayed transfers of care.

In a report to be considered later this week, the York Council says, “The review will highlight what is working well and where there are opportunities for improving how the system works”

This equates to, on average, 28.6 beds each day being occupied because of delayed discharges, although, during the most recent three-month period, this figure was 24.5.

A delayed transfer of care occurs when a hospital patient is deemed medically fit to be discharged, but cannot be released from hospital because they are awaiting a package of care from either the NHS and/or a local authority

There continues to be a downward trend in the number of days that patients are delayed leaving hospital that are attributable to adult social care.

In 2016/17, on average, patients were delayed for 3.73 days in hospital due to adult social care services.

The Better Care Fund provided the Council and hospitals with finances to work together on a range of measures, including delayed transfer of care, aimed at improving outcomes for NHS and adult social care users in the City of York area.

Healthwatch York under review by York Council

The Healthwatch organisation will be reporting to a York Council meeting on Wednesday about their role.

The report comes a few months after the local NHS Vale of York CCG asked the organisation to leave the health bodies governing board.

This led some to wonder whether the “voice of patients” was being properly heeded by the health commissioning body.

Other wondered whether Healthwatch had sufficient gravitas to be effective?

No doubt more will become clearer on Wednesday

The latest contract for Healthwatch was issued by the York Council as recently as April. The contracts value is £575,000 over 5 years. It was let via York CVS

The contract states, “Healthwatch York is for anyone who uses or who wishes to use adult and children’s health, social care and public health services in York – or anyone who cares for or represents individuals who have access to health, social care and public health services in York.

Healthwatch York has a duty to assist local health, social care and public health commissioners and providers, and other community stakeholders, by advising on and helping design engagement activity, and by providing feedback, research and information on local people’s views and experiences of health, social care and public health, in order to drive up standards of service provision.

Healthwatch York must also be able to signpost local people with any complaints they may wish to progress in relation to NHS service provision to the York Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service which has been procured by the Council under a separate contract with a provider (in a simultaneous procurement exercise) expressly for these purposes”.

Many eyes are on NHS performance these days.

Healthwatch contract

One area for improvement would involve Healthwatch pulling together each month some key performance stats. They are already available but are difficult for the average resident to find. Area to be covered might include:

A & E speed and quality
Ambulance speed and quality
Waiting times
Delayed discharges
GP patient volumes and appointment waiting times
NHS dentists waiting lists

Probe into NHS service quality in York

York Councillors will be given an insight into the several problems faced by the NHS in York over the winter period.

They will be told that the number of patients increased with GP to hospital referrals up by as much as 19%.

NHS managers say that nationally it was one of the most challenging winters with the “lowest national performance since reporting began in 2004”.

There was a “surge pressure” from Christmas Day to the New Year (footfall increase of 14% +522; ambulance increase 9% +123, compared to same period in 2015 -16).

Staff sickness, in particular on bank holidays, limited the options for additional cover

Emergency Care Standards (4 hour waits) targets in A & E were not met. They hit a record low point in January but performance had improved by March.

Hospital report on A & E performance

Lack of hospital beds continues to be blamed on delayed discharges (bed blocking) with over 5000 bed days being lost.

The report is bound to fuel demands for higher investment in NHS services. It has emerged as a key issue in the current General Election campaign

All eyes on investment in health budget as York NHS hits crisis

UPDATE – So not much hope for the NHS in todays budget announcement. There will be a scheme to put a supplementary GP workforce into some A & E departments next winter and there is more for social care. But Councils face a further dramatic reduction in government grants with a likely knock on effect on crisis management by either the NHS or emergency services..

EARLIER: Whether the Chancellor will do anything in today’s budget to help York’s cash strapped NHS services remains to be seen.

A report, being considered by the York Council today, reveals the extent of the problems facing local health services.

Currently cuts of around £45 million are expected placing additional pressures on a service which is already facing a crisis.

NHS York started off with the lowest funding per head of population across the whole region. Cuts are now expected to fall on:

outpatients
continuing healthcare
prescribing
high-cost drugs
elective orthopaedics (e.g. hip, knee replacement)
out of hospital facilities

The local LibDem health spokesperson said, “Cuts in services such as continuing healthcare and out of hospital care are not welcome news”.

“Liberal Democrats will continue to call for the Government to acknowledge the growing pressures on health services and give York a fair funding deal.”

Meanwhile the scale of the centralisation of GP surgery facilities has become clearer. Many are set to become localised mini hospitals with several in Acomb – including the now huge Priory Group which has premises on Cornlands Road – now the largest in the City.

In the Westfield Ward a “Local Area Coordinator” is being appointed by the Council to support people who may “feel vulnerable due to age, frailty, disability or mental health needs”

Interviews are currently taking place and the successful applicant is expected to start work later in the Spring.

York Police scam alert

TAX REBATE FRAUD ALERT

The police have issued the following warning, ”

NHS members are being targeted by tax rebate companies, purporting to offer services whereby they obtain a tax rebate on the victim’s behalf. However, the company obtains the refund but does not provide any of the funds to their customer, leaving victims over £34,000 out of pocket.

Information suggests that the companies have managed to infiltrate NHS practices/hospitals as part of training/open days and in lunchtime meeting sessions for staff. They also advertise their services to staff members and have been known to set up stands in the reception or restaurant areas.

The companies request the victim sign forms which give them permission to liaise with HMRC on their behalf, stating their fee will be charged to the rebate received. HMRC have confirmed that they have issued refunds to the companies in relation to requests received and authorised by the staff member. Once the refund is obtained all contact with the companies are broken and the victim does not receive their rebate.

Tax rebate fraud does not only affect NHS staff but can also affect Police Officers, airline staff and teachers. However this list of professions is not exclusive and anyone can be targeted.

Crime Prevention Advice

· Do research online to ensure the company is reputable by checking the registration details are correct and by viewing feedback online.
· Do not feel pressured to sign documentation without doing some basic checks.
· Do not respond to unsolicited emails, texts or calls offering rebate services.
· Make sure that you are aware and agree to the commission that will be paid to a rebate company prior to signing any documents.

· If you have been affected by this, or any other fraud, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

Spotlight on York NHS finances as Acomb GP surgery looks to extend

Freedom of Information response confirms no discussions held regarding Priory Surgery move to Lowfields site

With the NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (YCCG), which buys services for people in York, heading for a £24 million overspend this year, the spotlight is being turned on some major investment decisions.

The Estates and Technology Tranformation Fund provides investment for General Practices to improve premises and technology.

Grants can be between 30% and 100% of the capital cost.

Part of the purpose of this programme is to “help practices establish infrastructure which enables sufficient routine appointments at evenings and weekends to meet local demand alongside effective access to out of hours and urgent care services”

All schemes have to be implemented by March 2019.

On 2nd June 2016 a local commissioning committee meeting in York decided which projects to bid for. Some have since been added to the approved national list.

The national improvement list for 2016/17 authorises funding for extension work at the Front St (Copmanthorpe), Posterngate and Priory (Cornlands Road) surgeries. The Cornlands Road scheme could cost around £800,000 and would fund an extension for a “new patient lounge” and facilities to “manage long term conditions”.

Four new build schemes are also listed for York. They are located at Wheldrake, Jorvik/Gillygate South (Terry’s site), Huntington and Priory (Burnholme Health and Well Being campus).

In deciding its priorities, the YCCG had to observe national policies, They are set out here click

The guidance says “It is not anticipated, at this stage, that a further national round of submissions will be offered as it is expected the fund will be fully committed and the pipeline fully populated following this second invitation for schemes”.

The situation at the Priory practice on Cornlands Road came to the fore in the autumn when the York Council agreed to allocate a site at Lowfields for the practice to move into.

Priory had already been working with the Council on providing health facilities at the Burnholme school site on the other side of the City.

Although NHS documents (see below) reveal that the current Cornlands Road premises do require improvement, the local YCCG nodded through the extension scheme in June.

In a response to a Freedom of Information request the YCCG says,

“The CCG and practice have had no meetings about the relocation” of the surgery to Lowfields.

So, it seems that – with the deadline for funding applications now passed – there is little chance of a health centre being built on the reserved site at Lowfields in the foreseeable future.

…. and there is now even less justification for building on the Lowfields playing fields!

Lowfields residents form action group to oppose playing field development

A new residents action group has written to Executive Councillors asking them to oppose development on a school playing field at a meeting tomorrow.

Residents had been told by the Council that only the built footprint of the old Lowfields school site, would be developed but that promise now seems likely to be broken.

A petition has been sent to the Council.

Residents are threatening to refer the matter to the Ombudsman as officials have not reported the results of a door to door survey of opinion, taken in the autumn, to tomorrows meeting. The survey had revealed strong opposition to the development of the playing field.

Questions have also been raised about to the role of the NHS and Police Commissioner in the plan which involves the relocation of a local GP surgery and the re-siting of Acomb Police station.

York health service bosses now in “financial special measures”

The Vale of York Care commissioning Group (CCG) is now is now subject to “financial special measures”.

Dr Mark Hayes announced this evening he is standing down as the leader and accountable officer of the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

Dr Hayes was the Labour candidate in the Selby constituency at the last General Election.

“The Vale of York CCG will be directed to:

appoint a new Accountable Officer with the involvement of NHS England,
involve NHS England in appointments to its Executive Team and the next tier of management and
act on the issues that have been identified related to capacity, capability, financial governance and financial recovery,

with the implementation of a plan that addresses these within a timescale agreed by NHS England”.

The group is responsible for “buying” healthcare from professional organisations around the area (including GPs and hospitals).

The news comes as the CCG admitted a possible cumulative deficit of £13.4m for this year.

It comes a year after doctors supported a motion of no confidence in the management of the Group.

The 2015-16 ratings for all CCGs in the country were also published today, with 10 rated ‘outstanding’, 82 rated ‘good’, 91 rated ‘requires improvement’ and 26 rated ‘inadequate’.

York was rated as inadequate.

There has been a lack of stability in the local NHS over recent years with most recently a crisis developing in the provision of mental health services.

Nationally five trusts and nine CCGs have been put in the intervention regime, which forms part of a long awaited package of “reset” measures designed to get the NHS’s finances and accident and emergency performance back on track.

CCG performance