Agenda item

Maxine Lomax, representing Bury CCG will report at the meeting.  Reports attached.

Maxine Lomax Head of Safeguarding/ Deputy Director of Nursing and Dr Cathy Fines attended the meeting to present the Children Looked After, CQC Safeguarding Report.  The report is intended to brief the committee on the process and outcome of the recent inspection by CQC into the quality of provision and the implementation of the provision for children in need of protection and children who are looked after

The outcome of the inspection was a published 42 page report and 46 recommendations for commissioners and providers across the health economy of

Bury.

The key concerns that emerged were from the visits to Fairfield General A&E department and to the two Walk in Centre’s. There was an immediate request by the CQC, for an action plan to remediate the concerns identified at A&E. This was submitted, as requested by the end of the inspection. PAT have initiated an improvement board to monitor the action plan.  Additionally, there were concerns around the sustainability of the Walk in Centre’s, staff moral and systems and processes to safeguarding children. Pennine Care was made aware of the concerns immediately and the Head of Safeguarding for the CCG was informed. Pennine Care have provided some assurances around the WIC’s however, there are a number of recommendations within the report.

Questions were invited from those present and the following issues were raised:

Councillor Briggs raised a number of concerns with regards to the CQC report, in particular, poor leadership, IT problems, the use of fax machines for referrals and staff shortages, as well as delays in referring patients.  Responding to these concerns the Head of Safeguarding reported that faxed referrals were only used in two premises (A&E and the walk in centres) this practice has now stopped.  Seven inspectors, visited 14 services over a week long period, there is not the capacity in the system to provide that level of scrutiny and assurance. 

Responding to a Member’s question, the Head of Safeguarding reported that training is provided regularly, in some service areas where there is a high turnover of staff, ensuring that all staff have had up to date training remains a challenge.

Responding to concerns raised by the Chair with regards to whether there is sufficient workforce capacity to deliver on the CQC recommendations, the Head of Safeguarding reported that following on from the Ofsted inspection additional capacity has been provided by Pennine Acute NHS Trust.  The Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust and the Local Authority has provided some additional funding for the Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub.

The Head of Safeguarding reported that it is the responsibility of the providers to manage and operate the services, when services are commissioned contractual standards will include requirements in respect of safeguarding.

Steve Taylor responding to concerns raised in the CQC report in respect of his organisation reported that as a Trust regular audits are undertaken, the systems have improved at the Trust as a result of the inspection and further improvements will be made as part of the integration and transformation agenda.

Dr Schryer responding to concerns raised in the report, acknowledged that the report highlighted a number of issues for consideration, three months has elapsed since the visit and a number of improvements and recommendations have been undertaken.

With regards to the walk in centres the Head of Safeguarding reported that the recruitment and retention issues as highlighted in the report have been addressed and the workforce has now stabilised.

It was agreed:

The representatives from Bury Clinical Commissioning Group be thanked for their attendance and a further update in respect of the action be considered in 6 months.