Category: News

A new provider has been named as the new organisation responsible for the running of the Mayflower Medical Group of GP practices in Plymouth from April 2024 for a much longer period than before, meaning greater stability for patients and staff.

The Group, which covers five sites in Plymouth, is responsible for providing GP services for nearly 40,000 people in the city.

The current arrangements, with provider Livewell Southwest are due to come to an end on 31 March 2024. This was a temporary arrangement, with Livewell Southwest stepping in to take on this large service in 2022, ensuring that people could continue to receive local GP services.

In that short time, Livewell Southwest transformed the practice from an inadequate rating for the previous provider, from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), to ‘good’.

Established GP provider, Fuller and Forbes Primary Care Group, will run the practice from 1 April 2024 on a 10-year contract.

The planned transition shouldn’t cause any disruption to either staff or patients.  Patients are being reassured that it’s business as usual at the practice and they should continue to access their practice in the normal way.

Staff at the five sites have been reassured that their employment will transfer to the new provider and that they have a key role in the future of the service.

Jo Turl, Director of Commissioning at NHS Devon, said: “We are pleased to announce that such an established and successful provider will take over the running of Mayflower Medical Group from 1 April 2024 on a longer-term basis, providing much more stability for the future. They have an excellent track record of providing GP services and we look forward to working with them in Plymouth.

“Livewell Southwest has done an incredible job in running the service on a temporary basis and have made many improvements to the service. We are extremely grateful to them for stepping in and running the practice so well until a longer-term solution could be identified.

“We are working closely with Dr Fuller and Mr Forbes of Fuller and Forbes Primary Care Group and the current provider to ensure a smooth transition in the handover, with minimal disruption to patients and staff.  Patients do not need to take any action and should continue to access the service as usual.”

Dr Mark Fuller, GP at Fuller and Forbes Primary Care Group, said: “We welcome the opportunity to work with patients, staff and commissioners as we secure the long-term future of the Mayflower Medical Group practices.

“Our experience in delivering high quality primary care provides an opportunity to add value to the services currently being delivered. We believe that the core of GP services is the provision and protection of face-to-face appointments.”

Visitors to Exeter Chief’s Sandy Park last weekend took the opportunity to have a pre-match blood pressure check ahead of the game against Bristol Bears. 

As part of the Know Your Numbers campaign, aimed at people over 40 years of age, community pharmacists, NHS Devon and our Public Health team were on hand with blood pressure monitors to offer the free service. 

Around 80 people had their blood pressure checked and just under half of the eligible over 40s tested were given advice to monitor or manage borderline or high readings. 

High blood pressure is responsible for more than half of all strokes and heart attacks, and is also a risk factor for heart disease, kidney disease and vascular dementia. And with relatively few symptoms, that’s why high blood pressure is sometimes called the ‘silent killer’. 

The only way to know you have the condition is to get your blood pressure measured, and to Know Your Numbers. 

PE Teacher, Martin Miller, was one of those aged over 40 at the Chiefs game who had a raised blood pressure reading.  He was followed up within a few days by his local pharmacy, who advised him to check his own blood pressure each day over the next few days at home.

“That was excellent,” says Martin. “I’d not expected to get a high reading, but now I’m aware of it, there’s opportunity for me to do something about it.”

Getting your blood pressure tested is easy to do and could save your life. You can either go to your local community pharmacy or measure it yourself at home with a cheap and easy-to-use machine. 

Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon, said: 

“Just under half of the over 40s tested before the Chiefs game last Sunday had borderline or high blood pressure readings, which they wouldn’t otherwise have known. They’re now able to do something about it. It’s as simple as that. It was a win for the Chiefs on Sunday, but I’d say it’s also a win for those people who now can take steps to reduce their blood pressure, and reduce their risk of related complications.”

Thank you to Exeter Chiefs for supporting the campaign, we hope to hold some more events at Sandy Park so watch this space! 

NHS Devon is pleased to announce the appointment of Steve Moore as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Following a competitive national recruitment process, Steve will join the organisation on 12 February 2024.

Having worked for the NHS for most of the last 30 years, Steve has extensive expertise and knowledge at a senior level, including most recently as the Chief Executive of Hywel Dda University Health Board in Wales, a role he has held since January 2015.

Steve knows our county and the wider South West well, as has led NHS organisations in Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Dr Sarah Wollaston, Chair of NHS Devon, said: “I am delighted to welcome Steve. He has extensive experience across the NHS and understands the challenges and opportunities that we face. I am confident that he will use his knowledge, expertise and skills to help us meet our ambitions and challenges in the months and years ahead.”

Speaking about his appointment, Steve said: “It’s a great privilege to have been appointed as the Chief Executive of NHS Devon and I’m looking forward to joining the team.

“Enabling patients and communities to live long and healthy lives while supporting staff to grow and develop are areas that I am personally passionate about and it’s something that I will continue to champion.

“I look forward to meeting and working with everyone in the months ahead as we come together to address the challenges we face and make the most of the opportunities in front of us.”

Until Steve joins, Bill Shields will continue as the Interim CEO of NHS Devon.

Devon’s hospitals are currently extremely busy and health chiefs are urging local people to seek advice and support from alternative services for less urgent issues over the busy half-term period.

Other parts of the NHS healthcare system have capacity to look after people with less severe needs to allow EDs (also known as A&E) to focus on those who need help the most.

Anyone contacting 111 who needs emergency medical care from a hospital ED will be given direct access to the department.

Staff at NHS111 can direct people to Minor Injuries Units and Urgent Treatment Centres. This will ensure that people get to the right place for treatment quickly and may reduce their waiting times.

Parents can also get advice on common childhood illnesses can be found on the HANDi paediatric app and parents from Devon are being urged to download the app to access quick and convenient advice.

Many minor conditions and symptoms can be managed at home without seeking further advice. Visit the NHS website www.nhs.uk for a complete guide to conditions, symptoms and treatments, including what to do and when to get help.

Dr Nigel Acheson, Chief Medical Officer, said: “Our hospitals have been seeing extremely high numbers of people attending this week and this is putting pressure on our emergency departments.

“With half-term coming this week, we know that families may be out doing more outdoor activities and enjoying everything Devon has to offer. But if you get sick or injured, there are other services available to help locally, saving our busy EDs for the most serious cases.

“Help us to help you. If you need urgent medical advice when your GP practice is closed, visit 111.nhs.uk or call 111. 111 can refer into Emergency Departments or direct to Urgent Treatment Centres/Minor Injury Units if needed.

Dr Alex Degan, GP in mid Devon and lead for the winter vaccination programme, said: “One of the most important things you can do this winter to protect yourself, your family and the NHS is to get your winter vaccinations when you are invited for them.

“We are starting to see cases of winter illnesses creep up and having the vaccination can prevent you from getting seriously ill. Find out more here.”

Pharmacists are qualified experts in treating minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, stomach upsets and aches and pains. If you need help you can find your nearest open pharmacy.

Overview

This page contains information about important estates rationalisation work the local NHS is undertaking at Seaton Community Hospital.

NHS Devon was in the process of holding a series of meetings to brief local partners on this work before sharing the information more widely with the local community. However, information has been made public in the last few days so we are sharing this information on the background and the current position for the benefit of local people and local partners.

Background

The Devon NHS system has experienced significant financial challenges for many years, consistently spending more money on health services than it has been given to meet the needs of the 1.2 million people it serves.

This has contributed to Devon being placed in the highest segment (segment 4, sometimes known as special measures or NOF4) of the NHS Oversight Framework by NHS England.

This means Devon gets ‘intensive’ support from NHS England – which includes additional reporting requirements and financial controls – with the aim of improving its financial and operational performance.

In 2022/23, Devon’s end of year position was a deficit of £46.2 million. In 2023/24 as part of our journey to achieving a balanced budget, the forecast deficit for the county’s NHS system as a whole is £42.4 million.

We have established a system-wide programme of work to deliver the performance and financial improvements needed to allow us to move out of NOF4.

Reducing the amount of money wasted on empty space

The former ward at Seaton Community Hospital has been empty and unused since 2017 and presents an opportunity for the local NHS to save more than £300,000 a year in rent and other property charges.

The beds were removed following full public consultation when new ways of looking after people in the local community – often in their own home – were brought in and they have been very successful.

The Your Future Care consultation ran from 7 October 2016 until 6 January 2017 and was led by the then-Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). It focussed on proposals to provide more care and support for elderly and frail people at home and in the community. The aim was to prevent unnecessary admissions to hospital and, if patients need to go to hospital, to get home as quickly as possible, improving their chances of a better recovery.

Throughout the consultation period, the CCG attended over 70 events and public meetings. More than 2,000 people attended these events and discussed the proposals. 1,552 responses to the survey were received, in addition to more than 650 letters and emails.

Separately, ownership of Seaton Community Hospital transferred from the then-Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust to NHS Property Services in 2016 when the community services contract moved from NDHT to the then-Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust.

NHS Property Services charges market rent and other property costs on empty space in its buildings. Where there is no tenant, these ‘void costs’ are paid by the integrated care board, in this case NHS Devon.

Since the Your Future Care consultation, vacant space at the hospital, including the empty ward and linked office space, has cost the NHS in Devon around £1.5 million – poor use of taxpayers’ money. The ward has been fully decommissioned, with utilities disconnected to reduce service charges.

Working with health, care and community partners

This year we have been working with local health, care and community partners to see if they are interested and able to take on the space. These partners include:

  • NHS Devon commissioning colleagues
    • Devon’s acute trusts
    • Devon’s mental health providers
    • Local GPs
    • Local voluntary, community and social enterprise sector groups
    • Other commissioners
    • Other interested parties

With all partners who have expressed an interest in occupying the space, we have been clear that any proposal would need be viable financially, which means being able to cover the cost of bringing the building back up to useable standard, reconfiguring it and then paying the annual rent and service costs. We estimate that the cost of bringing it back into a usable condition would be significant.

Generally, hospital buildings need to be built and maintained to a higher standard than normal commercial buildings, which means they can be comparatively expensive to occupy.

This has meant some local groups would like to occupy the space but can’t afford to and no viable schemes have been received from any of the partners we have approached about occupying the ward.

With that in mind, and faced with ongoing stark financial challenges, we have started the process of surrendering this space so we can save the money that is not currently able to benefit patients. We took a decision on this in September, which effectively means we are in the process of handing the former ward area back to the building owner, NHS Property Services.

No NHS services affected

No NHS services are affected by this work. All services at the hospital continue as normal and there is no proposal to change any services. Local people should continue to attend appointments at the hospital as normal.

Next steps

We have always been very happy to talk to prospective occupants of the space if they have a financially viable scheme to take it on – and we remain so.

Ideally, a solution will be found that involves a positive future for the former ward but the NHS in Devon is under significant pressure to tackle its financial challenges and any possible solutions need to be found as quickly as possible, mindful of the ongoing and significant financial burden the empty space places on our finances.

There are many possible ways forward and all of them are being explored. We continue to meet with local partners to talk about this work.

Health and care partners in Plymouth are setting themselves ambitious goals as part of a ‘100-Day Challenge’ to support urgent care services.

The challenge, which launched at a dedicated session earlier this month, will focus on improved care and services to support system outcomes.

System Development Lead Katy Kerley said: “The short timeline of 100 days is tough but intentional, inviting a cross-section of diverse partners from the Plymouth health and social care community to generate momentum and action. We are also setting ambitious 100-day goals that support relentless and intense collaboration, innovation, and execution.”

Each team will be working on specific goals in system priority areas. To find out more, email katy.kerley@nhs.net

Devon is leading the country on the percentage of care home residents already vaccinated against COVID-19 this autumn. Over 76% of care home residents in Devon have received their COVID-19 jab, this is the highest percentage in England.

The winter vaccine roll-out began on the 11 September 2023 and 155,236 COVID-19 vaccinations and 185,492 flu vaccinations have been given in Devon to date.

Dr Nigel Acheson, Chief Medical Officer for NHS Devon, said; “This is a major achievement and providing protection to some of our most vulnerable patients. Thank you to all our GPs and vaccination teams for their hard work to provide Covid and flu vaccinations for those eligible for an autumn booster.”

GP practices and other local NHS services have been contacting people to offer both flu and COVID-19 vaccines, sometimes in the same visit. Currently over 34% of flu and Covid vaccinations are being administered to individuals during the same appointment.

Thousands of people across Devon can now book their flu and COVID-19 vaccines online, as the NHS booking system opens ahead of what could be a challenging winter for the health service.

As part of the NHS’s commitment to make it ever more convenient for people to book in for their winter vaccines, all eligible adults can book their vaccination appointment through www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/keep-warm-keep-well, by downloading the NHS App or by calling 119.

Who should have the flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
You may be able get the NHS flu and COVID-19 vaccines if you:

  • are aged 65 or over (including those who will be 65 by 31 March 2024)
  • have certain health conditions or a learning disability
  • are pregnant
  • live with someone who has a weakened immune system
  • are a carer
  • are a frontline health or social care worker
  • live in a care home

Most children can get the children’s flu vaccine. This includes children who were
aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2023, school-aged children (Reception to Year 11)
and children with certain health conditions.

Dr Acheson concludes; “We are already seeing signs that the NHS is facing a
difficult winter with significant pressures being felt on the frontline already.
We ask that everyone who is eligible gets their flu and Covid vaccinations to help
protect themselves, their loved ones and our NHS services this winter.”

The rollout of a revolutionary patient record system across multiple partners in Devon and Cornwall continues.

The Devon and Cornwall Care Record (DCCR), which launched in August 2022, aims to transform the way information is shared among health and care organisations to benefit local patients by giving authorised health and care staff the ability to see details held by a wide range of providers across Devon, Cornwall and the Isle of Scilly in a single record.

Roll-out to new organisations and staff groups within existing organisations is continuing.

The rollout to social care organisations in Devon is progressing and the DCCR team will be invited to provide a demonstration of the system to care homes in Cornwall shortly.

The 111 service in Cornwall now has access and the DCCR team have also provided access to two independent ophthalmology surgical units who are undertaking work for the NHS. The programme team has also produced a range of resources to help staff and patients find out more about the DCCR. For more information, visit the website or the training website.

To coincide with World Mental Health Day (10 October 2023), the NHS in Devon has launched a short film to encourage people with a severe mental illness, and those who care for them, to have their free flu and covid vaccinations this winter.

Preventing severe respiratory illnesses such as Covid-19 and flu is particularly important for people with severe mental illness, who are much more vulnerable to both viruses.

A new film launched by NHS Devon and Devon County Council highlights the importance of having both the vaccinations for people with severe mental illness, as well as an annual health check.

The short film features local clinicians and lived experience of people with severe mental illness, sharing their experience of what reasonable adjustments can be made to make these appointments more accessible and suitable for people.

Dr Emma Sircar, GP at Okehampton Medical Centre, said: “We know that people with severe mental illness often have poor physical health, and they can die 15-20 years earlier than the rest of the general population.

“People with severe mental illness sometimes experience barriers or face difficulty in attending a healthcare setting, then don’t attend for routine healthcare such as vaccinations.

“We are used to making reasonable adjustments for people. If you feel uncomfortable in a waiting room, you can ask a friend or a relative to wait for you, and you can wait in the car and then they can come and get you when it’s time for your appointment. Or if there is anything that you think will make you more comfortable about coming in for your vaccine or health check we will always try and accommodate that.”

Healthcare professionals can make reasonable adjustments to make it easier for people with severe mental illness to have their vaccinations and annual health checks.  This includes:

  • longer appointments or having a carer, friend or peer support.
  • an appointment at the beginning or end of the day, or a quiet place to wait.
  • additional reassurance or support if they are afraid of needles and are having a blood test or vaccine.
  • a sign-language service
  • transport if they need help getting to the GP surgery.
  • a home visit if they are unable to leave home.

Driven by analysis of local data, the NHS vaccination campaign has sent invitations to eligible adults over the past two weeks, including those with an underlying health condition such as severe mental illness, and people aged 65 and over, to book flu and Covid-19 vaccination appointments.

World Mental Health Day is about raising awareness of mental health and driving positive change for everyone’s mental health. It’s also a chance to talk about mental health, how we need to look after it, and how important it is to get help if you are struggling. 

Emily, featured in the film, said: “Having the annual health check and vaccinations are very important, but getting to the surgery can be the most important first step. A lot of people feel that they can’t attend because they feel such anxiety. Because of the help I’ve had from the medical professionals at Okehampton Medical Centre, I do believe that it is possible.”

Andrew, featured in the film, said: “I got offered a vaccine early on. Even though providing a care for people with mental health illnesses can be a challenge, because of the help I’ve received I do believe it is possible.”

GP practices and other local NHS services have also been contacting people to offer both flu and Covid-19 vaccines, sometimes in the same visit. Where this is not possible, it is better to get each vaccine as soon as you can rather than waiting.

Update from One Devon Partnership, our Integrated Care Partnership

The One Devon Partnership (ODP), a statutory committee that includes a range of partners who influence people’s health, wellbeing and care, has agreed a priority focus on children and young people, to influence and encourage action across Devon.

The partnership held a workshop and agreed to address issues connected with employment and education, housing, and health inequalities for children and young people.

ODP Chairman James McInnes (pictured), who is also Cabinet Member for Integrated Adult Social Care and Health on Devon County Council, said: “We had an honest and open conversation among members. Plymouth City Council and Devon County Council are formally recognising care experience as a protected characteristic and we will be encouraging all our member organisations to follow suit.”

The partnership highlighted inequalities that those with care experience face, including

  • A UCL study which showed 70% of care experienced people die early
  • Over 50% of people who are in custody up to the age of 21 have been in care (Become Charity)
  • A quarter of the homeless population is care-experienced (The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care)
  • Only 14% of care leavers go to university, compared to 46% of young people who didn’t grow up in care and that it will take 107 years to close the gap at the current rate of progress (Breaking the care ceiling, Civitas)

Cllr McInnes added: “We will also be making a call to partners across our system to acknowledge the role we all play as corporate parents, and to ensure this is central to the work we do and how we do it.”