CLINICAL ADVISORY GROUP (CAG) Tuesday 25 February 2014 4:00pm, Evolve Business Centre MINUTES Present: Tony Branson, Chair, Medical Director, NECN Jo Cresswell, Chair Urology NSSG, South Tees Nick Hayes, Chair OG NSSG, Newcastle Neil Hebblethwaite, Chair Gynae-Oncology NSSG, South Tees Jeremy Killen, Chair Lung NSSG, Gateshead Linsley Lunt, Chair Breast NSSG, Gateshead Oliver Schulte, Lead Clinician, South Tyneside Matthew Trewhella, Chair Radiology Group, North Tees & Hartlepool Chris Walker, Chair Service User Partnership Group ANB JC NHa NHe JK LL OS MT CW In Attendance: Ann Bassom, Network PA, NHS England Kath Jones, Network Delivery Lead, NHS England ABa KJ Apologies: Paul Barrett, Chair Histopathology NCCG, CDDFT Richard Bliss, Trust Cancer Lead, Newcastle John Crossman, Chair Brain & CNS NSSG, Newcastle Victoria Hervey, Chair Haematology NSSG, Sunderland Gail Jones, Vice-Chair Haematology NSSG, Newcastle Phil Kane, Vice-Chair Brain & CNS NSSG, South Tees James Langtry, Chair Skin NSSG, Newcastle Anne Lennard, Research Lead North, Newcastle Emma Lethbridge, TYA Clinical Lead, Newcastle Roy McLachlan, Associate Director, NHS England Jim Moor, Chair Head & Neck NSSG, Sunderland Shona Murray, Chair Sarcoma Advisory Group, Newcastle Sath Nag, Chair Thyroid NSSG, South Tees Melanie Robertson, Lead Clinician, Sunderland Matthew Trewhella, Chair Radiology NCCG, North Tees & Hartlepool Nick Wadd, Research Lead South, South Tees Chris Walker, Chair Radiotherapy NCCG, South Tees 1. PB RB JC VH GJ PK JL AL EL RMcL JM SM SN MR MT NW ChW INTRODUCTION 1.1 Welcome & Apologies ANB welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made. 1.2 Previous Minutes – 20/09/13 The previous minutes were confirmed as a correct record of the meeting. 1.3 Action Points from Previous Meeting 1.3.1 Clinical Networks ANB informed members of a requirement for SCNs to produce a ‘plan on a page’ where 2/3 priorities are to be identified for each network. A draft plan was tabled (attached to these minutes) and Enc cancer priorities noted. 1 1.3.2 Cancer Network ANB reported on a recent national meeting with Sean Duffy, National Clinical Director for Cancer where performance measures were identified as key to support the NHS Outcomes Framework. ANB noted a number of awareness and early diagnosis initiatives that are in place and added that elements of screening and a 1-year survival matrix were also discussed. ANB highlighted the importance of the mandatory Cancer Outcomes Services Dataset (COSD) and asked members to encourage MDTs to collect data as accurately as they could. ANB acknowledged that there is a strong need for the networks to engage with clinical commissioning groups and the local area teams, particularly around working with and understanding any potential reconfiguration of services. Members concurred that there is a risk of patient pathways being fragmented and the role of the SCN is to try and protect the pathways. 2. SPECIFIC ISSUES ARISING 2.1 Feedback from Cancer Steering Group 2.1.1 E-Prescribing ANB briefed members on the background to procuring an EPrescribing system across the Network where 2 x hub and spoke models are being considered in South Tees and Newcastle. There is a possibility that Sunderland will go with their own system and Mike Prentice, Area Team Medical Director, has written to the Board asking them for assurance that any potential extra clinical risk will be considered. 2.1.2 Campaigns ANB referred to a letter from Sean Duffy regarding the Be Clear on Enc 1 Cancer Campaigns (letter attached to these minutes). It was noted that the lung cancer campaign run in 2012 has resulted in an additional 700 cancers being diagnosed and around 300 additional patients having surgery as a first treatment for diagnosed lung cancer. The group discussed and acknowledged the extra pressures on cancer waiting times particularly around the 62-day target. 2.1.3 CWT Previously discussed. 2 2.1.4 Pathways – Diagnostics Further to the discussions around the extra pressures on cancer waiting times ANB suggested asking each NSSG to review their pathways to try and come up with options. This was supported by the group. 2.2 Chair Remuneration ANB reported that remuneration for Chairs will no longer be available after 1st April 2014 due to funding restraints. The group acknowledged the decision however raised concerns that this was not the best way forward to maintain Trust and Clinical engagement. 2.3 NSSG Annual Reports ANB highlighted that producing an annual report for each NSSG is no longer a requirement for those groups not being assessed by peer review. The group supported a suggestion to continue developing an annual report ALL to to showcase achievements made by each group. note 2.4 Network Audits ANB reported that due to the financial constraints previously mentioned there is also no funding available for audits from 1st April 2014. There will be some support available around obtaining data. Concerns were discussed and the group acknowledged that this was not such a problem for Lung and Head & Neck as they contribute to national datasets which is perhaps the way forward for other groups. 3. CLINICAL GOVERNANCE ISSUES There were no specific issues raised however ANB highlighted the significant issues with Cumbria where the Trust is in special measures which imposes high level of clinical governance. 4. ANY OTHER BUSINESS 4.1 Radiology Capacity Concerns were raised regarding radiology manpower where the number of radiologists is insufficient to meet network demands. The trend for increased demand for diagnostics and imaging was highlighted as a real problem. With impending retirements and the increase in growth, all units are struggling. It was noted that there are similar issues in pathology and oncology. The appropriateness of double reporting was discussed. It was agreed to keep this issue on everyone’s agenda and ANB agreed to write to 3 Health Education North East to raise concerns around training. ANB also agreed to raise this issue at a national cancer meeting in March. The group went on to discuss pathways which are more complex and are resulting in CWT breeches. 4.2 Survivorship ANB reported on the work going on around survivorship and highlighted the number of tools available. Further information can be found at: http://www.ncsi.org.uk/ 5. CLOSE OF MEETING 5.1 Agenda items for the next meeting Agenda items to be forwarded to AB 2 weeks prior to the next meeting. 5.2 ALL Date and time of next meeting Tuesday 10 June 2014, 4:00pm, Evolve Business Centre. 4
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