Agenda item

Representatives from the Northern Care Alliance will report at the meeting – update to include current patient numbers, a staffing update as well as an update on the future of the Northern Care Alliance.

Penny Martin, Director of Performance presented a performance update from the Northern Care Alliance in relation to Covid 19.

The timelines in relation to COVID-19 were set out from March 2020 to date.

The Northern Care Alliance were designated as lead provider to run the GM Vaccination Centre at the Etihad Campus and across GM. The teams have vaccinated over 314,000 people to date and also vaccinated many thousands of people at the hospital vaccine hubs in Salford, Oldham, Bury and Rochdale.

In total they have provided over 500,000 vaccinations.

The Number of COVID-19 vaccinations we have given in total (led by the NCA) were reported as :-

• 491,772 • Salford Care Org –54,628

• Oldham Care Org –70,118

• Bury Care Org –18,971

• Rochdale Care Org –32,337

• Etihad GM vaccination Hub -314,210

The Covid19 data in relation to the Northern Care Alliance was reported as:-

Covid Patients: • Since March 2020 across NCA the NCA have successfully treated and discharged 5,942 COVID patients safely back to their homes, many of whom were severely ill

The total number of Covid patients discharged from the NCA hospitals was:-

• Salford -1,973

• Oldham -1,839

• Bury -1,272

• Rochdale -149

It was reported that the following number of urgent operations (non Covid patients) had been carried out:-

• Rochdale Infirmary remodelled in April 2020 as a COVID-19 green surgical site so patients across GM requiring urgent & cancer-related operations can receive life-saving treatment

• More than 8,000 urgent (P2) and cancer related operations safely carried out at Rochdale

Maternity Care –babies born

• Visiting partners within maternity has been reduced at Royal Oldham since March 2020

• 7,436 babies have been safely born in NCA hospitals since start of pandemic

Covid19 – current NCA data

• During pandemic the NCA have been able to continue to provide essential/urgent services

• Much of diagnostics and urgent care services have been maintained

• The pandemic has tested resilience, capacity and resolve and new ways of working have been adopted.

• There has been an increased use of technology such as virtual wards and online clinics

• The NCA continue to treat a significant number of patients with Covid19 across its hospitals

The numbers of COVID-19 patients currently have in NCA hospitals as of 02/09/21 was reported at 133

Total patients currently in NCA hospital beds  as of02/09/21 was reported as 1,333

Current average Length of Stay (LoS) for Emergency inpatients (Aug 21) = 5.91 days

Current average length of stay for inpatients following elective care = 0 days on

It was reported that the NCA focus is on supporting staff to ensure patients are safe and receive the highest standards of care across acute and community services, particularly during high demand

The SCARF programme launched last year continues to offer psychological and emotional support, however, staff sickness absence and staffing pressures continues to be a challenge.

Current staff sickness absence levels for August 2021 was reported as:

Covid related -0.98%

Non-covid related -4.8%

It was explained that the pandemic has strengthened relationships and connectivity across local communities and with partner agencies.

Penny explained that the support that the NCA received from volunteers, statutory and faith sector partners, private health providers, local businesses and community has been fantastic and thanked all those groups for their help and support throughout the pandemic.

Those present were given the opportunity to ask questions and make comments and the following points were raised:-

Councillor Hamblett referred to staff retention rates and asked how the NCA were performing in relation to this. Councillor Hamblett asked if there were vacant posts.

It was explained that the NCA were not holding an active recruitment drive currently as there had been over recruitment during the pandemic.

Staff were being redeployed and staffing across the NHS was a challenge.

Councillor McClaren asked that all NHS staff be thanked for their tremendous  efforts throughout the pandemic .

Councillor McClaren asked if there were anu ongoing issues with the provision of PPE across the sector.

It was reported that there were no ongoing issues with PPE.

It was agreed:

That the update be noted.