Agenda item

Jon Rouse, Chief Officer, Greater Manchester Health & Social Care Partnership will be in attendance.  A presentation will be sent to follow.

Jon Rouse Chief Officer Greater Manchester Health &Social Care Partnership attended the meeting to provide an update with regards to the Pennine Acute Transaction. 

The Chief Officer reported that two legally separate but intrinsically linked processes (transactions) are underway to split PAT; both elements will require formal approval at national level.  Firstly NHS Improvement has invited Salford Royal to put forward proposals for the formal acquisition of the Royal Oldham, Fairfield General Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary hospital sites to be part of Salford Royal’s group of healthcare services, called the Northern Care Alliance NHS Group (NCA).  Secondly MFT will formally acquire the North Manchester General Hospital site to transfer to MFT as part of its group of   hospitals. The future plans for NMGH is part of the longstanding plan to create a Single Hospital Service for the City of Manchester and Trafford, with involvement of Manchester City Council and MHCC.

Salford Royal has been running Pennine Acute Trust and its services under a management agreement since 2016/17 under the NCA group arrangements.  The NCA is governed by a Committees in Common where both Salford Royal and Pennine Acute NHS Trust Boards have devolved its decision making.

The Chief Officer outlined the planned benefits of the transfer which would include: 

•              Integrated Health & Social Care models developed and delivered through partnership arrangements

•               Minimising unwarranted variation in care

•               Optimising economies of scale and technology

•              To be the employer of choice that enables staff to realise their full potential so that recruitment, retention, productivity and staff satisfaction is maximized

The NCA will build on the successful integration of hospital and community-based services already at Salford (through a fully-formed Integrated Care Organisation ICO), and is partnering with local healthcare commissioners to further develop new ‘joined up’ place-based approaches and models of health and social care  in Bury, Oldham and Rochdale

The Chief Officer reported that the transaction will follow a two stage process, stage 1, the submission of the strategic cases, once agreed the next stage will be submission of the full business cases.  All partner organisations involved are committed to working through a series of complex processes in order to secure the best future for patients and staff.

The Chief Officer reported a new ownership and long-term management arrangement for the hospitals currently run by Pennine Acute Trust (PAT) is essential to support the future clinical, financial and workforce sustainability of acute hospital services in the North East sector and across Greater Manchester.

Responding to a Member’s question, the Chief Officer reported that as the transaction progresses essential maintenance works will still need to be undertaken at NMGH.

With regards to work undertaken in respect of separating clinical services following the transaction, the Chief Officer reported that it is essential that the right services are situated on the right site.  This will not only have implications for patient flows/pathways but also for the workforce and IT.

Members discussed whether the large deficit at the PAT could affect the transaction.  The Chief Officer reported that external support has been provided to identify what is driving the deficit at the Trust.

The Chief Officer reported that it is critical for the future sustainability of the Trust that demand pressure is reduced.  Across the North east sector locality working is less well developed in Bury and Oldham.

Members discussed communication with staff, stakeholders and the public in respect of the transaction.  The Chief Officer reported that communication with staff is ongoing however wider communication will not be undertaken until the business case is agreed. 

It was agreed:

A further update in respect of the Transaction will be presented at the JHSOC for Pennine Acute in July.