The Chair welcomed the members of the Board, officers and those watching the webcast to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from:

Elizabeth Hartley, Director of Child, Family and Education, Wirral Council, who will be represented by James Backhouse.

Janelle Holmes, CEO, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will be represented by Dr Jo Chwalko.

Councillor Kieran Murphy, Wirral Council

Karen Prior, Chief Executive Officer, Healthwatch.

Dr Stephen Wright, Primary Care

Councillor Julie McManus, Wirral Council

PRESENT: Board Members:

Carol Johnson-Eyre, Chair

Dr Abel Adegoke, Primary Care

Simon Banks, Place Director

Dave Bradburn, Director of Public Health, Wirral Council

Jo Chwalko, Wirral University Teaching Hospital

Julian Eyre, Wirral Improvement Team

Gareth Prytherch, CEO, Wirral CVS

Mark Greatrex, Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Trust

Cllr Simon Mountney, Wirral Council

Paul Satoor, CEO, Wirral Council

Dr David Jones, Primary Care

Sayyed Osman, Director of Adults, Wirral Council

Tim Welch, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust

Also present:

James Backhouse

James Barclay

Sarah Boyd-Short

Mike Jones, Secretary, Wirral Council

Martin McDowell, Associate Director of Finance & Performance, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

Lorna Quigley, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

Vicky Shaw, Head of Legal Services, Wirral Council

Members are asked to consider whether they have any relevant interest in connection with any item(s) on this agenda and, if so, to declare them and state the nature of the interest.

The Chair asked for members to declare any interests in any items on the agenda.

The Chair declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 7 (Place Finance Report incorporating Pooled Fund Update) as she was part of Citizens Advice Wirral who were the Lead provider for the Ask Us Wirral service and held the contact for the service.

To approve the accuracy on the minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2024 and 17 October 2024.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2024 and 17 October 2024 be agreed.

There were no items on the action log.

The Senior Partnerships and Transformation Manager – Primary Care, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside (Wirral) introduced this report which detailed the work involved in the Primary Care Access Recovery Plan, including its ambitions, elements and statistical comparisons with other areas. It was noted that 90% of patients were seen within two weeks of requesting an appointment, and that Wirral did not have a problem with retaining General Practitioners.

Members noted the success reflected in the statistics and queried the sustainability of the Plan but they queried the ambitions and whether there were patterns in poorer statistics.

Resolved – That the progress on delivery of the PCARP be noted and a further update be received at a future meeting.

The Associate Director of Quality and Safety Improvement, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside introduced this report, which provided oversight of the Quality and Performance across Wirral Place since the last reporting period. Highlights were provided, and it was noted that infection rates were deteriorating.

Members debated the report and some of the potentially helpful actions being taken.

Resolved –That

1.  the work underway across the system to monitor quality and performance, identifying areas for improvement be noted.

2.  the further work underway to strengthen the governance around quality and safety across Health and Social Care be noted and endorsed.

3.  assurance be received around the robust improvement plans in place to manage specific areas for improvement.

The Associate Director of Finance, NHS Cheshire and Wirral, introduced this report, to update the Board on the financial position for the Wirral Place health and care system partners.  It was noted that the Wirral Place System had an actual reported deficit of £28.6m compared with a planned year-to-date deficit of £16.0m, which represented an adverse variance of £12.7m.

Members discussed the risks and wider implications, noting that demand had been increasing since 2022 and a different funding formula would assist.

The Finance Recovery Plan was then discussed. Keeping children in care out of hospitals was seen as a potential saving and may be examined at a future meeting.

Resolved – That 

(1) the forecast reported position for the Pool and the discharge fund as at Month 6 2024/25 be noted.

(2) it be noted that the shared risk arrangements are limited to the Better Care Fund only, which is reporting a forecast breakeven position.

(3) the sign off / approval process and progress of the 2024/25 Section 75 agreement which is scheduled to complete in November 2024 be noted.

The Programme Manager from the Wirral Improvement Team introduced this report, to update the Board on the progress on the workstreams. It was noted that good progress had been made with just 3 of 13 measures showing a concerning result.

Members discussed the data and ideas to tackle challenges were encouraged.

Resolved – That the update be noted.

The Programme Director, Wirral Improvement Team, presented this report, to update the Board on the Workforce Enabling Programme within the Wirral Place Health and Care Plan 2023-24. It continued to be identified by all partners as a significant issue to be considered. A dashboard had been developed for workforce development data. There were four key areas of the strategy, which were: Planning our Future workforce needs; Attract and develop our Workforce; Understand and improve our workforce wellbeing and the causes of poor workforce wellbeing; Improving the Wellbeing of our population through employment.

Members discussed the report and noted that working with education providers was key for long term sustainability.

Resolved – That the report, which provided assurance on the delivery and oversight of the workforce programmes be noted.

The Place Director introduced this report which detailed the outcomes of a review of collaboration and integration opportunities across health and care in Wirral (“the Review”).  The Review had been commissioned by NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and had been delivered in partnership with the NHS trusts working on Wirral.  The focus of the Review was principally on the opportunities for greater collaboration and integration between Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHC) and Wirral University Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust but also identified concomitant benefits and opportunities for wider health and care in the Borough. An integrated management board was being created and a provider collaborative was being discussed which would lead to Place governance changes.

Resolved – That the outcomes of the Review and the actions being taken to implement the outcomes of the Review be noted.

The Associate Director of Finance (Place) delivered this report, to update the WPBPB on the work of the Finance and Investment Group (FIG).

Resolved – That the report be noted.

The Head of Transformation and Partnerships delivered this report, the purpose of which was to provide with WPBPB with an update on the work of the Primary Care Group (PCG).

Resolved – That the report be noted.

The Place Director introduced this report, the purpose of which was to provide the WPBPB with an update on the work of the Strategy and Transformation Group (STG).

Resolved – That the work of the Strategy and Transformation Group be noted.

There were no public questions, statements or petitions received.

The Chair introduced this report, which detailed the annual work programme of items for consideration by the Wirral Place Based Partnership Board.

It was suggested that an item be added concerning the integration of the Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHC) and Wirral University Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Resolved – That with the addition of the item noted above, the report be noted.

10am on 19 December 2024

10am on 23 January 2025

10am on 20 February 2025

10am on 27 March 2025

The next four future meetings dates were noted as:

10am on 19 December 2024

10am on 23 January 2025

10am on 20 February 2025

10am on 27 March 2025.

There was no other business.