Agenda item

Report ECHS19058

The Board considered the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) Annual Engagement Report 2018/19.

Bromley CCG was responsible for commissioning health care services based on local needs for the people of Bromley, and had a legal duty under the Health and Social Care Act to ensure patients and residents were given a voice in commissioning processes and decisions.

The Annual Engagement Report 2018/19 provided a comprehensive record of the work undertaken to meet Bromley CCG’s public involvement legal duties during the past year, and emphasised the ongoing commitment to work with partners to engage patients on integrated programmes of care and joint commissioning. Bromley CCG had established a communications and engagement sub-group to manage the communications and engagement needed for the One Bromley programmes. The CCG had subject matter experts who were experienced in managing patient engagement programmes; constructive relationships with local community groups and patient representatives; and an understanding of the challenges and approaches to engaging wider with seldom heard communities.

The Annual Engagement Report 2018/19 was approved by the Governing Body of the Bromley CCG at its May 2019 meeting. It was noted that since the report had been published, the Improvement and Assessment Framework (IAF) ratings had since been released, and Bromley CCG were pleased to advise the Board that their ‘green star’ rating by NHS England had been maintained in the area of engagement.

One project that had been undertaken by the Bromley CCG was to narrow the gap of health inequalities in the borough. The CCG had been selected as part of a pilot which identified that groups living in a number of areas of Bromley had higher rates of hospital admissions due to respiratory conditions. The CCG targeted these areas with leaflets providing information on flu vaccinations and how to keep well over winter. In addition, targeted clinical sessions were also undertaken at GP practices, all of which had contributed to Bromley having the highest uptake in London for the over 65’s, pregnant women and children aged 2 years, and second highest uptake for children aged 3 years. Bromley CCG had spoken at a London event about this work, showcasing their system working and how they had promoted an integrated approach by joining forces with partners for a common outcome. Bromley CCG had been approached by the Healthy London Partnership which was hoping to apply what had been undertaken in Bromley to inform the national flu campaign for social care staff.

In response to a question from the Chairman, the Head of Communications and Engagement – Bromley CCG said that the work to target these communities and provide information about the flu vaccinations had resulted in reduced hospital admissions the previous year. Feedback from patients was not yet available, and it was noted that they may not even be aware that this targeted work had been part of an intervention. Each year there was a ‘winter pressures campaign’, which provided lots of information about using the right service, at the right time and promoted self-care.

A Board Member questioned what focus there was on the needs and access available to primary care services for the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. The Director of Organisational Development – Bromley CCG said that the geography of the primary care network had assisted how they engaged with these communities, and public and patient groups at GP practices supported this. The Local Authority also had its own communication network, which allowed them to engage directly with these groups. The Head of Service: Early Intervention and Family Support advised Board Members that public health nurses visited the Star Lane traveller site, and this was something that Bromley CCG could collaborate with. In response to a question, the Head of Service: Early Intervention and Family Support said that the team of public health nurses did not currently visit the traveller site in Biggin Hill, and that she would confirm if the site at Old Maidstone Road was visited following the meeting.

A Board Member asked if there was an update in relation to the emerging social prescribing link workers. The Deputy Managing Director – Bromley CCG said that social prescribing was a key part in the development of their work and how these were rolled out would be interwoven with care pathways, and built on.

Another project undertaken by Bromley CCG had been partnership work to help improve the emotional and mental wellbeing of children and young people. Partners engaged with had included carer networks, Children Looked After, schools, after school clubs and charities and identified the need for support and much earlier intervention.

A Board Member highlighted that Bromley CCG would be trialling a four week waiting time for access to specialist NHS children and young people’s mental health services, and asked how this scheme was performing. The Head of Communications and Engagement – Bromley CCG confirmed that following the meeting, an update could be provided in relation to the four week CAMHS waiting time pilot. In response to a question, the Head of Communications and Engagement – Bromley CCG said that since the report had been written and published, they were looking at programmes to integrate children’s care services across Bromley, and ‘youth’ had been added as a key priority area going forward.

A Board Member noted that Bromley CCG had recruited young commissioners who would be part of the decision making process and involved in the delivery of improved emotional and wellbeing services. It was queried how this would work, and if the Health and Wellbeing Board would be able to hear from these young commissioners directly. The Head of Communications and Engagement – Bromley CCG said that five young commissioners had been recruited by the CCG who had been involved in the CAMHS co-production programme. However, the landscape had changed somewhat, and the scheme had been paused while some of the arrangements in place were being reviewed. It was intended to add further young commissioners to the group of five already identified, and this could be revisited once it gathered pace. It was agreed that further information could be provided following the meeting, and that an update on how the CCG would be working with young commissioners be presented to the meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board on the 30^th January 2020.

RESOLVED that the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group’s Annual Engagement Report 2018/19 be noted.