Given where we are in January this week’s four-hour emergency department performance has been fantastic, although still not quite where we need to be. But to have some days over 90 per cent and indeed 95 per cent is brilliant. Our national position has been great and testament to the hard work of staff. I think, to date, our winter planning has been effective. However, I don’t think we will quite hit our agreed trajectory – so as always, there’s more to do.
Clearly our community services play a huge role in delivering the trust’s overall performance and thereby delivering safe, personal and effective care for our patients. They are pivotal in the ‘out of hospital’ work of the Integrated Care Partnership, working closely with Primary Care, Networks, GP Practices, Social Care, Mental Health, Voluntary and Community Sector partners, as well as patients and their families. To that end I’m very pleased to say there was a very successful launch of the Integrated Accelerator sites in East Lancashire at an event on Thursday. This is a really exciting development which a cornerstone of our journey to deliver integrated, place-based serviced underpinned by empowered, self-directed teams and collective leadership. Watch out for more news as this work progresses. In addition, the following services are joining the Community and Intermediate Care division on 1 February: Nutritional Support, Appliance Prescription, and Specialist Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes. We’re delighted to welcome these innovative services as they work alongside our existing community staff to provide specialist support and advice to patients, including in their own homes and care homes.
I want to say a big ‘Thank You’ to all staff who are responsible for keeping our hospital facilities in such excellent condition. We know you do an excellent job and this has been confirmed by the results published this week in the Patient-Led Assessment of the Care Environment (PLACE) report for 2019. Inspections check things that matter to patients, families and carers – things they notice when visiting our five hospitals. And once a year, ordinary members of the public have the opportunity to view for themselves our facilities and score them against national standards.
Our PLACE results are an excellent indicator of how hard trust staff work and it’s great to see stellar ratings for cleanliness (97.78%), food (85.07%) and the overall condition, appearance and maintenance (92.95%) of the hospital environment. Well done to everyone involved.
And that’s not the only excellent patient feedback we’ve had this week. The results of the CQC Maternity Survey 2019 were published on Tuesday and the trust improved further on our already excellent survey scores. ‘100 per cent of mums say they had confidence and trust in the staff caring for them during labour and birth’ is possibly the standout statistic but the entire report makes great reading, and is further evidence that NHS maternity services in East Lancashire are as good as anywhere. Well done to every member of staff involved!
As you will no doubt be aware there continues to be a significant amount of information issued nationally and internationally around the evolving novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), an outbreak which the World Health Organisation has now declared a global emergency. As of 30 January, it has been reported that around 7,816 people worldwide have been identified with respiratory infections caused by 2019-nCoV, and sadly 170 deaths. In the UK, out of 192 test results, only two individuals have tested positive (who have now been transported to a specialist unit in Newcastle). The Department of Health and Social Care, alongside Public Health England, continue to issue evolving guidance and advice to NHS Trusts and partner agencies in relation to the identification and treatment of those patients suspected to be infected by the virus. Both regionally and locally, ELHT and other healthcare providers are reviewing plans and preparations to ensure that we can provide a safe and effective response in the event that we receive a suspected case of the novel coronavirus. We would like to thank you all for your continued support around reviewing your local business continuity arrangements, especially around PPE stocks and training. As the situation is constantly evolving, regular updates will be available on OLI: Coronavirus
I was part of the interview panel this week to appoint a Clinical Director for the Pathology Collaborative. Pleased to say Anthony Rowbottom, an Immunologist from Lancashire Teaching Hospitals was appointed. Anthony has a very inclusive, organisationally agnostic style and will work alongside Mark Hindle, the Managing Director, to develop a clinical service model that future proofs the service and provides the best possible care to the people of Lancashire and South Cumbria. It was the Pathology Collaborative Board this morning, with strong representation from ELHT. Discussions continue involving our staff in the various working groups, but as yet there isn’t anything definitive to communicate. We will of course keep staff informed, as we have been doing, as the discussions develop.
And finally, last October a very successful ‘AHP Day’ event launched our promotion of the 14 Allied Health Professions. Next month, the Physiotherapy profession will feature as we celebrate all that is great about the profession; appreciate all of the fantastic physiotherapists we have in our Trust and what physiotherapists do to improve the lives of our staff, patients, families and carers; and inspire those who may wish to pursue a career in the profession. Watch out for details of a month-long programme of physiotherapy events and social media activity.