Agenda item

13.30

To receive a report from Will Hancock, Chief Executive, South Central Ambulance Service which updates as to the:

a.    Progress against our improvement programme linked to the August 2022 Care Quality Commission report.

b.    Impact of industrial action

c.    Operational performance in the Oxfordshire area

d.    Recent Board level appointments

The Committee received a report from Will Hancock, Chief Executive, South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) and Kirsten Willis-Drewitt, Head of Operations, in respect of a progress update relating to the SCAS Improvement Programme.

It was presented to the Committee that SCAS were mid-way through Stage 2 of their Improvement Programme; and had recently received a discretionary visit from Care Quality Commission (CQC) representatives and been through various oversight and scrutiny processes with NHS England; as well as the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and partners. Furthermore, at SCAS’ request a detailed assurance visit from the ICB clinical leads had been undertaken in order to maintain independent oversight and provide feedback on areas of strength and areas for improvement.

Following the Committee’s questions and comments, the following points were noted:

·         SCAS had a number of sub-committees which reported to the SCAS Board, including the recently formed People and Culture Sub-Committee. The sub-committees were non-executive board member-led; which provided more hands-on oversight than the SCAS Board.

·         Operationally, SCAS was broken down into 7 geographical areas, one of which was Oxfordshire, which was led by an Operations Manager. Below this lay a flat, Team Leader-led structure which totalled to 138 teams within SCAS, which each comprised of 15-20 members of staff per-team. Each team was rostered together and benefitted from ‘Team Time’, together which allowed the Team Leader to provide feedback, lead self-directed learning and conduct 1 to 1s and appraisals.

·         To maintain oversight SCAS Executive members conducted regular ambulance station visits and accompanied ambulance crews.

·         As per the norm with the NHS and as recommended by external bodies. SCAS had both an Audit and Risk Sub-Committee and a Finance and Performance Sub-Committee, which performed differing functions. Whilst the Audit and Risk Sub-committee primarily considered performance levels and management of risk, the Finance and Performance Sub-Committee was more forward-looking and appraised future programmes of work.

·         As part of the Freedom to Speak-up (FTSU) part of the improvement programme it was noted that speak-up outreach work was being undertaken at ambulance stations and hospitals in order to encourage discussions and to allow staff to highlight areas for improvement. It was also noted that the FTSU team now also had 2 permanent members of staff and that the SCAS women’s network was in the process of being set up and drew upon the expertise of the long-established LGBT network.

·         Data was regularly collected on the clinical presentation of patients at Emergency Departments. It was noted that Oxfordshire was the best performing area within SCAS for using clinical pathways which did not involve sending patients to Emergency Departments.

·         There had been a number of initiatives to improve staff welfare at SCAS including a policy which meant that during the last hour of shifts staff only responded to very high category calls; noting that responding to call during the last hour of a shift previously meant the extension of a crew’s time at work by up to 1 and a half hours. There had also been a greater focus to provide greater emphasis to the SCAS BAME and Disability networks, which aimed to encourage bring people together and the sharing of understandings of how members of staff could best support each other.

Committee members provided sincere and personal thanks to the work of SCAS; and from a scrutiny perspective noted its desire to regularly review its performance data at its Covid-19 Elective Recovery Sub-Group. Subject to the work programming process, the Committee also noted its wish to see SCAS report to the HOSC on its Improvement Programme in approximately 9 months’ time.

RESOLVED that SCAS’ performance data be regularly reviewed by the Committee’s Covid-19 Elective Recovery Sub-Group.