Issue - meetings

To receive an update from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board on Primary Care and Community Services and Mold Hospital.

(a)          That the update be noted; and

(b)       That the Senior Manager Children and Workforce provide information on the contact number for all services.

The Chair welcomed and introduced Mr. Rob Smith, Area Director East, Nikki Palin, Team Leader RN, and Dr. Gareth Bowdler, Area Medical Director East, , to the meeting.

The Senior Manager Children and Workforce provided background information and invited the BCUHB representatives to give an update on Primary Care and Community Services. 

Mr Rob Smith and Nikki Palin gave a joint presentation on the East Area Community Resource Team – supporting patients closer to home.  Mr. Smith explained that patients and families were at the heart of all plans and  developments and that BCUHB was working in  collaboration  with the Authority to provide treatment and care for  people at home.  The main points of the presentation were as follows:

·         introduction and background – where we were

·         the vision – East Area Community Resources Team

·         project work – Community Resource Team

·         work to date

·         next steps 

The Chair thanked Mr Smith and Ms Palin for their presentation and invited Members to raise questions.

Councillor David Healey asked who residents would contact for assistance concerning Adult Social Care and Children’s Social Care services, child protection and mental health issues. The Senior Manager Integrated Services explained there was a single contact number for all services and  the Emergency Duty Team provided an out of hours service.  The Senior Manager Children and Workforce agreed to provide information on the contact number for all services.

In response to a question from Councillor Ian Smith concerning treatment for ear syringing, Dr. Gareth Bowdler advised that the process had changed  and the patient was now assessed by the ear syringing services team and was not necessarily referred to a GP for treatment.

Councillor Hilary McGuill questioned how  the emergency or GP out of hours services, which may  result in an hospital admission, link up with single point of access services.  Mr. Smith responded that the aim was to work more collaboratively with the emergency services, however he acknowledged that it was currently work in process. 

Dr.Bowdler advised that the appropriate action was to call the GP out of hours service and link up into Community Resource  services.  Councillor  McGuill responded that this was difficult because the GPs out of hours service was operated by different GPs to BCUHB GPs.

Mr. Smith explained that  the vast majority of illness prevention and Ambulance service referrals took place during the day.  He said that the service had improved when the majority of people required the service which is during the day.

The Chair commented that more reassurance was needed that out of hours GPs have a strong link with the out of hours service to relieve the pressure on A&E rather than the ambulance being called and services deployed which may not be required in itself.

Mr. Smith responded that the majority of people are referred to the ambulance service in the middle of the day.  In general, what happens is that people call their GP  in the morning and then arrive in hospital in the evening.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37