Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Agenda Item 33
Subject: Winter 2021/22 – Update on how the Local Health & Care System Managed Winter Pressures
Date of meeting: 13 April 2022
Report of: Executive Director, Governance, People & Finance
Contact Officer: Name: Giles Rossington
Tel: 01273 295514
Email: giles.rossington@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected: All
1.1 At the 24 November 2021 HOSC meeting, members received a report on Sussex health & care system plans to manage pressures over the winter months. This report provides an update on how successful the system was at managing pressures across winter 2021/22. Information provided by NHS commissioners is included as Appendix 1 to the report.
2.1 That Committee notes the information included in this report.
3.1 Health & Care systems typically experience a surge in activity during the winter months. This is partly due to seasonal infectious illnesses (flu, norovirus); but also because colder weather exacerbates a range of pre-existing problems (e.g. respiratory and circulatory conditions). Extreme weather may also lead to greater levels of activity. The presence of Covid presents an additional risk at the current time. Increases in demand for services can put a severe strain on systems, most obviously emergency healthcare. This is particularly the case when systems are at or near to capacity at all times of the year.
3.2 In order to manage this seasonal demand surge, health & care systems are required to develop whole system (e.g. Sussex) winter plans. In November 2021, NHS commissioners and BHCC Health & Adult Social Care (HASC) presented on Sussex winter planning to the HOSC.
3.3.1 The 2021/22 Sussex Winter Plan had a series of objectives:
· To maintain patient safety at all times
· To prepare for and respond to periods of increased demand, including any future increases in Covid-19 infections
· To ensure that acute hospital bed capacity is maintained at a level that ensures that patients who require admission to a hospital bed are able to be admitted in a timely way, thereby avoiding the risk of overcrowding in A&E and delays to ambulances being able to hand over patients and respond to 999 calls
· To ensure that community health services are maximised, e.g. improving length of stay and ultilisation and increasing the number of patients who can safely be discharged home in a timely manner with acre support. Effective use of community services during the winter period will support timely discharge from hospital and avoidance of unnecessary admission to a hospital bed.
· To avoid ambulance handover delays of more than 30 minutes
· To ensure delivery of the elective care recovery and restoration trajectory
· Strengthen Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC), Ambulatory Emergency Care (AEC) model and the acute frailty model
· Deliver capacity to manage any Covid-19 demands including critical care capacity
· Manage any flu or other infection control challenges safely and effectively.
3.4 Members may wish to explore with HASC and NHS colleagues at the meeting to what degree the above objectives have been achieved in the current year. Information provided by BHCC HASC and by the CCG which outlines 2021/22 performance is included as Appendix 1 to this report.
4.1 Not relevant to this report for information.
5.1 None undertaken.
6.1 Members are asked to note information on how well the local health and care system has coped with winter pressures this year.
7.1 None to this report for information
8.1 There are no legal implications to this report
Name of lawyer consulted: Elizabeth Culbert Date consulted (31/03/22):
9.1 None directly to this report for information.
10.1 None directly to this report for information.
10.2
Supporting Documentation