Agenda and minutes

See above.

No additional declarations made.

The aim of the paper is to give an overview of the Gloucestershire

workforce across the Integrated Care System, identifying common issues

and challenges and the joined up approaches being taken to try resolve

them.

This item was first requested by Health and Care Scrutiny Committee prior

to the changes to committee remit and so the Chairs of the two committees

felt this was the right item for the first joint meeting of the committees.

Attached to this agenda is:

·         Summary presentation (this will be delivered at the meeting)

·         ‘Data pack’ slides (for background reading ahead of the meeting)

·         Summary of Adult Social Care workforce 2017/18

3.1      Members were reminded that this was a joint committee meeting made up of Health Scrutiny and Adult Social Care and Communities Scrutiny members to consider workforce issues and challenges across the Integrated Care System. The purpose of the meeting was to receive information to help inform both committees’ work planning and to ensure members had the background on these issues to help understand future service changes.

Presentation

3.2      Members noted the presentation slides within the pack including the data bank which provided additional information. Mel Walker and Claire Hines took members through the presentation highlighting key areas of activity and providing points of clarification.

3.3      The total healthcare and public health workforce as well as the total paid adult social care and support workforce were shown on a pie chart for members. There was a total of just over 11,000 wholetime (wte) staff in Gloucestershire NHS Trusts.  There was a total of 945wte medical staff of which 448wte were medical consultants. 3350 wte registered nursing and midwifery staff. This was alongside the volunteer workforce which was estimated to be at around 30,000. Unpaid carer support was at more than 50% of the total care available in Gloucestershire.

3.4      Risks and challenges:

Ø  Top 3 workforce risks related to supply and capacity, recruitment and retention and leadership and succession planning. Work streams and interventions were in place to support solutions to address those risks.

Ø  There were supply issues with registered nursing and paramedics  and experienced social workers were provided as two examples.

Ø  There was uncertainty around the impact of a European Union exit on workforce numbers.

3.5      Collaboration and partnership working

Ø  Important to share best practice and work together within the system. Members understood that the ICS worked collaboratively through the Local Workforce Action Board to determine shared risks. It was explained that Gloucestershire was the only ICS to be represented by both NHS and Adult Social Care in the regional workforce planning arena..

3.6      Recruitment and retention initiatives

Ø  It was important to provide additional supply routes such as work with the University of Gloucestershire and University of West of England.

Ø  Therapists were in short supply

Ø  30 registered Nursing Associates were now in post with 41 to complete training in 2020 and a further 42 to commence in both September and April.

Ø  Learning Disabilities support was a national issue for which there wasn’t a solution in place for yet.

Ø  Apprenticeships routes were being explored with further discussions with the University of Gloucestershire.

Ø  At a national level a trailblazer scheme had been approved. The apprenticeship qualification would be offered to current social care assessor staff. The aim was to appoint up to 4 by March 2020 once the Universities were in a position to offer the programme. Procurement would be taking place to achieve this.

Ø  There was an agreed plan for the development of an apprenticeship hub.

Ø  Members noted a variety of case studies were available for further reading.

Ø  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.