Agenda item

Patrick Crowley, the Chief Executive of York Hospital, will present a briefing paper from the Foundation Trust Network, in response to the Final Report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry Chaired by Robert Francis QC.

Board Members received a briefing paper from the Foundation Trust Network regarding the Final Report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry (often referred to as “The Francis Report”).

Patrick Crowley, the Chief Executive of York Hospital, who presented the paper, also circulated paper copies of slides from a PowerPoint presentation on York Hospital’s early response to the recommendations in the report. A copy of these slides was attached to the agenda, which was subsequently republished after the meeting.

He felt that the issue of resources or the system in which the Trust in Mid Staffordshire were working with had not been fully highlighted in the Francis Report, or in public debate following its publication. It was also emphasised that most of the symptoms displayed in the report, had to viewed as part of a wider context of events at the time.

In response to the Final Report Board Members were informed that;

·        York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust had been one of the first Foundation Trusts in the UK to broaden out consultant recruitment and that a new process of Value Based Recruitment had been implemented to identify whether possible consultants would fit with the values of the hospital and the organisation.

·        That the hospital always respected the needs of its staff as well as its patients.

·        That whilst the Francis Report focused on acute care, hospitals were now working within a wider context.

Rachel Potts reported that the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (VOYCCG) Governing Body would also be looking at the recommendations from the Francis Report. She informed the Board Members, that she could bring back conclusions from discussion at the Governing Body Board to a future Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board meeting. Patrick Crowley also said that he could bring a report, which he would presenting to the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee in April, to a future meeting.

Further discussion took place around the briefing paper and the Francis Report. Board Members felt that it was incumbent on all partners to look at good practice as a result of the issues raised in the report. They added that they felt that the need and design of systems of care had changed rapidly, and that it was clear that the system needed to be re-designed. Further to this, ways of moving forward and changing the system  would be found through  co-operation with all the health care community.

Other Members felt that there was a need for wider co-ordinated leadership in public health. They added that it would be beneficial to develop a mechanism for all partners to bring their thoughts on systems of care together in order to create a local leadership model.

RESOLVED:       (i)      That the briefing paper be noted.

(ii)      That conclusions from the VOYCCG Governing Board’s discussions be shared with the Board at a future meeting.

(iii)     That a report on the implications from the Francis Report which would be considered by the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee be received by the Board at a future meeting.¹

REASON:           To ensure that the Board is updated on issues discussed by all partners in relation to the Final Report of the  Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Enquiry.