Staff briefing roundup

Here’s a summary of what was covered in the staff briefing…

Welcome – Rob Gerlis

A warm welcome to Frances Shattock, newly appointed director of performance and contracting
The role of digital director is now being advertised

Current east rate is 84.5 per 100,000 people – in Epping Forest this is 63; Harlow is 11.4 and Uttlesford is 62

Most of the region is on the downward trend but this is before schools go back and while we remain in lockdown so we need to be vigilant
This is good news, however, demonstrating lockdown and the vaccine is taking effect
Hospitals are seeing the benefit of this – there were 34 cases at PAH on Monday of this week and 37 today (Tuesday)
In terms of vaccinations – the 65-69 is currently a key group
Vaccine availability will double from 45,000 to around 90,000 on 15 March and it will be important to make sure it is all used
Second doses are also due to begin at this time and the level of vaccine being delivered is likely to increase again the first week of April
Letters are now being sent out nationally to those aged 60-64
Main message to primary care is completing vaccination of those who are housebound and focus on cohort 6

Patients with learning disabilities have been prioritised for some time
Christine Moss – dementia patients aren’t a current priority group but many are coming under the housebound/care homes vaccination cohort
Rob Gerlis – as a CCG we are a in a good strong position with vaccination of the LD group – ahead of many other areas

Next phase of vaccination is following up on those who should have been vaccinated but haven’t as yet
The large vaccine centre at Murray Hall, Loughton, is due to launch on Thursday 4 March
We have been very successful in using up all available vaccine and it is very important this continues
You should have been able to book your second vaccine at the same time as your first – you can use the national booking system for the large centres
Optimal time for having the second dose is 11 weeks after first
Forecast is by end of April we will have reached the over 50s group for vaccination
PCN sites will contact anyone who had their first vaccine there, to arrange the second

Bed capacity is still an issue and this has an impact at the front door
Ambulance handover delays is one of the main issues currently
Work being done to discuss and find ways to ease this
There were 26 community beds available today
Overall it is much better but the processes around COVID continue to hamper activities

First discussions have taken place with region about restoration after COVID-19
“Taking the temperature” of where we currently are
Cancer Patient Tracking Lists (PTL) have been well maintained
Care homes are in a better position than in the first wave and we will now look to get staff back in
Still a lot of elective surgery to catch up on and flow is not what it should be
Expectation will ramp up from the next quarter starting on 1 July
There was a part two board meeting where the reablement contract was signed off for the next three years
A meeting of the One Health and Care Partnership (OHCP) took place today
Discussion over what is going to happen over next 12 months and how things are going to work as we come out of COVID
Christine Moss – regarding the OHCP, we are building the outcomes framework and hope to be able to share that in coming weeks. As a CCG, key learning will happen as we focus on services

The team which has been working on the new Crocus Medical Practice surgery has visited the St Margaret’s Hospital site to begin to look at plans for it over the next 10 years
Ideas welcome on this to share at joint exec

Please can everyone make sure they use their annual leave – and book this using ESR
Email Averkios Charalampous if you have any difficulties with this
Thanks to everyone who completed the vaccination survey. You can still let Tanya know if you have had the vaccine – all information will be anonymised and treated in the strictest of confidence. Results of this will be announced shortly
Shout out to Jennie Knight and the team who have worked so hard to get the large vaccine site at Murray Hall, Loughton, ready to open on Thursday
Email the Comms team if you’d like to join our Easter quiz on 25 March at 7.30pm
Please complete the staff vaccination survey before close of play tomorrow

A big thank you to Alan Hicks who has done a super job supporting all staff with the upgrade to Outlook and the NHSmail archive – thank you for your patience and tolerance
Thank you also to Melanie Mavers for stepping in and heading up an investigation regarding the vaccine – she does these all the time but this one had to be done very quickly and involved a lot of partners. I want to thank her for dropping other things, getting it done and doing such a good job on it.