Cwm Taf University Health Board news

Cwm Taf University Health Board held its latest Board meeting on September 9th at Ynysmeurig House in Abercynon. This bulletin sets out the key messages from the meeting about healthcare provision in Cwm Taf.

 

The full Board papers can be found here but if you have any queries or questions about the issues discussed please do not hesitate to contact the communications team at cwmtaf.news@wales.nhs.uk

 

 

A plan to re-design and strengthen Cwm Taf’s GP Out of Hours service has been approved.

 

Across the whole of the UK there is a significant shortage of GPs – particularly in the out of hours service – which has posed a serious challenge to all Health Boards in Wales. Despite significant efforts by Cwm Taf University Health Board to recruit additional GPs in the last year the Health Board continues to face serious challenges in staffing the service which has been discussed openly with the local community.

 

As the GP workforce has not increased sufficiently to staff all four centres safely, the Health Board has decided that from the end of September, face to face appointments will be offered from two centres rather than four to ensure there is a consistent service for all patients. The GP telephone triage service and the home visiting service for the most vulnerable patients will remain unchanged.

 

 

 

A memorial plaque dedicated to organ donors and their families has been unveiled by the Health Minister, Mark Drakeford at Royal Glamorgan Hospital. The event was attended by families whose loved ones had saved the lives of many others by donating their organs.

 

Chairman of Cwm Taf University Health Board, Dr Chris Jones told Board members: “The event in the atrium of the Royal Glamorgan Hospital was about recognising the wonderful act of giving. It’s about saying a heartfelt ‘thank you’. We remember the donors and their families. Organ donation is a lasting legacy of hope and is often a life giving chance to others.

 

 

Cwm Taf University Health Board held this year’s annual staff recognition awards ceremony on September 2nd in the University of South Wales. The prestigious ceremony saw staff being recognised for innovative practice and exceptional care to patients. The award categories included long service, leadership, improving the patient experience, patients’ choice and team of the year.

 

Dr Chris Jones, Chairman of Cwm Taf University Health Board said: “Saying thank you and well done seems such a simple thing but in large organisations, like a health board, it is very important that we really do make the effort to highlight the great things that happen every day.”

 

 

 

The Health Board published its 3rd Annual Quality Statement this week which aims to give a simple overview of the work we are doing in Cwm Taf to continually improve the quality of our patient services.

 

The Annual Quality Statement which is now available on our website is to provide evidence of excellent practice in the last 12 months as well as show how the Health Board continues to address areas identified for improvement last year.

 

 

Work is continuing on the new Acute Medicine Model at Royal Glamorgan Hospital which will start to be implemented from September 28th. This is in line with the outcome of the South Wales Programme which concluded that RGH would become a ‘beacon’ site for acute medicine with the aim of strengthening care for those with complex, chronic medical conditions.

 

The workforce changes needed to implement the full model are complex and a detailed action plan is in place relating to each staff group affected. Staff briefings and external engagement on the new model are also taking place.

 

 

 

Cwm Taf University Health Board has embraced opportunities for change and developed innovative, clinical improvements to patient services, according to an independent report by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales. The review was undertaken earlier this year to check on the progress made with the recommendations that were identified in a review that took place in 2012.

 

Inspectors found that the health board has improved and changed since the original review took place three years ago and has been successfully reconfiguring specialist areas of hospital services as part of the South Wales Programme.

 

The review also identified some areas which require further improvement including strengthening engagement with primary care to improve services and ensure processes are in place so that feedback is provided to staff who submit incidents or who are involved in complaints.

The Board formally received the report and approved the Health Board’s management response

 

 

 

 

Nicola John, Director of Public Health presented her final Annual Report, in advance of her retirement at the end of September. The report outlines the work progressed over the last year and some of its results. The Chairman and Chief Executive paid tribute to Nicola for her many years of service to the Cwm Taf community and wished her well for her retirement.

 

 

The Board received an update on financial matters reported to July 2015. Whilst the Board continues to forecast a break even position for the end of the year, there is a £5.7m risk against our assumed Welsh Government funding allocation and discussions are ongoing. There are also shortfalls in the delivery of some directorate savings plans with increased agency staffing costs.

 

The Board endorsed a series of actions to ensure savings plans are delivered to improve the reported financial position.

 

 

The Board approved the Employee Engagement Framework, which had been developed by the Organisation Development team in partnership with staff and staff representatives. There is plenty of evidence to demonstrate that organisations that have strong working relationships with its employees have significant advantages over those that don’t and also that it impacts positively on the culture and ethos of the organisation.

 

The employee engagement framework will help to guide and strengthen our existing arrangements. The Board will also be having a development session in October 2015 facilitated by Nita Clarke, Director of the Involvement and Participation Association.