Issue - meetings

To give consideration to the East Cheshire Hospital Quality Account - report to follow

Brian Green attended to present the East Cheshire NHS Trust Quality Account 2010/11. Attention was drawn to the fact that East Cheshire NHS Trust had become an integrated trust from April 2011 and that this had provided enormous potential for them to work with partners to reduce duplication and reduce waste.

Brian Green continued to highlight the main issues arising from the review of 2010/11. For instance, it was noted that the Trust were behind schedule on their venous thromboembolism (VTE) programme. It was explained that they were improving on their target and that it would be made a priority for 2011/12. It was reported that every other target had been met or was on target to be met.

Attention was also drawn to the audit section of the report. It was highlighted that during 2010/11, East Cheshire NHS Trust participated in 35/40 (87%) of the national clinical audits and 100% of the national confidential enquiries that it was eligible to participate in.

As a final point, the top priorities for 2011/12 were reported. These were as follows:

1.      Reduce patient harm in hospital

2.      Provide evidence based care

3.      To provide positive patient experience

It was explained that the East Cheshire NHS Trust had selected these priorities by engaging with their staff, patients and user groups, and other stakeholders and that they had been informed by feedback from patient surveys and complaints and incidents.

A question was asked regarding patient safety. It was queried that whilst the ‘four p’s’ policy (asking patients about pain, possessions, patient needs and position during hourly rounds) was to be commended, could the Committee be reassured that those patients who could not respond were also being looked after. It was confirmed that the Trust does identify these patients and makes sure that their safety was adequately met also.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.