Staff briefing roundup

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

Welcome – Rob Gerlis

Vaccination update – Stephen Fry

• 44% 16-17-year olds have been vaccinated in west Essex
• The figure is 51% and 56% for the Hertfordshire CCGs
• GPs are doing some targeted work texting parents
• There has been a slight uptake in cases in the last seven days, otherwise no significant change
• Number of patients in PAH is 26

General update – Peter Wightman

• You will all have received an email from Jane Halpin yesterday. Jane has set out what is planned while she takes a period of sick leave. She is currently on annual leave, after which her sick leave will start while she addresses her health challenges. We are all, the Joint Executive and the Chairs, supportive of her on a personal level and a professional level
• Region has been briefed
• ICS transition – there are five ICS transition working groups which are looking at how we are going to work. This work will require 13 or so organisations coming together
• A lot of guidance was published last Thursday (2 September) which gives us an opportunity to design our systems how we want to some extent
• PAH CQC – I’d like to thank everyone involved in the Quality Committee last week. We haven’t had the final report yet, but PAH has received some recommendations. We are working with PAH to see how we can support
• NHSE AO recruitment process – NHSE wants to push ahead with the renewal of AO appointments. In our view Jane was appointed ICS lead and lead for all three CCGs. We are very clear on that. If that is not accepted, then the selection process goes ahead

Local update – Ian Tompkins

• Afghanistan update – we have two red lists quarantine hotels in Stansted where people from Afghanistan and red list countries are going
• When quarantine is complete, they will move to bridging hotels. There is also a link to the relocation programme where people have a right of passage to the UK because they worked for the UK Government. We don’t have any hotels associated with the relocation programme in west Essex
• We have some asylum seekers on our patch in Bishop’s Stortford
• We are working with the local authorities and partners on this, including HUC and surgeries to assess the impact on local services as people move out of hotels
• Office return – the booking system is now done. We are looking at reopening Spencer Close from 20 September. The booking system is easy to use and Alan Hicks will be running some training sessions on the system
• We have a few bits and pieces to finish off around infection prevention. The blinds will be going back up and we will be keeping the screens at some of the desks
• We are also looking at publishing a bit of a protocol around social distancing etc
• We are expecting an announcement from Chris Whitty around the COVID and flu jabs and whether they can be given together or not. We are also due to find out whether they are going to extend the vaccinations to healthy 12-15-year olds
• Lots of plans being put in place across the ICS to accommodate the plans. We will be linking with education departments and schools
• Flu clinic for staff may not be until October, but it will be here at St Margaret’s
• Anurita Rohilla – the weather is very warm at the moment, so this is a plea to everyone to stay hydrated. I also want to welcome Simon James
• Simon James – I’ve come to work with Anurita’s team as a primary care transformation lead. I will be working with PCNs on their development and integration. I’ve come from a background working in primary care commissioning
• Anurita – shout out to Hazel Angus who is doing the Three Peaks Challenge this weekend. Best of luck to Hazel!
• Peter – we had our formal AGM in July as three CCGs. Each CCG is having a celebration event. Ours is planned for later in September. Further details to follow soon