This PDF may not be suitable to view for people with disabilities, users of assistive technology or mobile phone devices. Please contact grahamhodkinson@wirral.gov.uk if you would like this document in an accessible format.

The Programme Manager, Wirral Improvement Team presented the report of the Director of Adults' Care and Health, Wirral Council which provided a progress update on the capacity and demand work that has been completed across Wirral Place to date and proposed the key next steps to complete the work. The report covered the work undertaken by Sir John Bolton OBE, a Consultant in Capacity Planning, the Unscheduled Care Programme workstreams and other funded Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) schemes and provided a summary of activity undertaken to date, the current position of improvement work and proposes the next steps to complete the capacity and demand planning, bringing together an overarching review of all UEC schemes, to both understand and quantify the individual impact on the no criteria to reside (NCTR) UEC programme sentinel measure and all relevant data sources including care market, Home First, Transfer of Care Hub data and other sector data.

The conclusion of the John Bolton review was highlighted which stated that this should not be a challenge system as the numbers were felt to be manageable. 

In conclusion, it was reported that when all systems were considered together capacity had been increased to meet demand, however further assurance was needed that capacity was being optimised at the right time and in the right place to enable any gaps in provision to be mapped out. The proposed next steps were to map capacity based on demand and to ensure that people were discharged on the right pathway and identify any gaps. The Unscheduled Care Programme Board was to oversee the development of a capacity and demand plan inclusive of recommendations which would be brought to this Board in a report.

The Chair outlined the need to consider some more bespoke provision for the elderly and mentally infirm people who are not amenable to rehabilitation and need a better high quality level of support. The transfer of care hub had made strides in reducing the percentage of the bed base which was NCTR down to 18 percent.

Members asked about the total number of Clatterbridge intermediate care beds which was 71 and the Bolton review suggested 71 to 85 might be needed.

The increasing numbers of people accessing Primary Care and the reasons for this were discussed by Members. The Chair said there was a need for a piece of work around why this was happening. It was reported that from a population health perspective we know what drives poor health and there is an increase in complex conditions and multiple morbidities. A key factor was to consider the wider determinants of health and take a whole system approach to health. Targeted work would be needed with the people who were using the services most.

Resolved - That

1) the outcomes of the John Bolton review, and the progress made be accepted.

2) the workstream and other UEC funded scheme evaluations inclusive of performance to-date, quality and outcomes and future benefits and focus be accepted.

3) the proposal for the further report be accepted.