Annual Public Meeting
Wednesday 23 September 2020
Welcome to our Annual Public Meeting for the year 2019/20. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic means that our traditional Annual Public Meeting is unable to take place in person so we have had to get creative and do something a little more unorthodox.
Below you will find a series of video messages from members of our Governing Body: our Chief Operating Officer, Clinical Chair, Accountable Officer, Deputy Lay Chair and Chief Finance Officer. You can also view a summary version of our 2019/20 Annual Report which is a bite-sized reflection on the key achievements made by the CCG in the last financial year.
We hope you find these presentations informative and engaging and an opportunity to collectively reflect on what was a significant and successful year for the CCG in 2019/20 before the pandemic took hold.
As ever, we are fully committed to transparency and openness and asked for questions to be submitted from the public in advance of these presentations. You can find the questions received and the answers below. We’re also very keen to hear all of your questions and comments after viewing our Annual Public Meeting content. If you have any feedback please email our general enquiries mailbox at norccg.enquiries@nhs.net with the subject line ‘APM Feedback’.
Looking forward, 2020/21 continues to be a hugely challenging year for all of us as we continue to collectively deal with the on-going impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The biggest thing we can all do to support and protect our local NHS is to follow the Government guidance on social distancing and household contact, continue to practice good hand hygiene and continue to wear face coverings wherever possible.
Please do all that you can to stay safe and well and look after yourselves, your families and loved ones.
Nothumberland CCG Annual Public Meeting – questions received in advance from the public:
Note: all 3 questions were submitted by Blyth Development Trust
1. Currently the nearest bus stops are between 300m – 500m away from the Hospital and Health centre entrances. This distance is too great for elderly or infirm residents of Blyth who rely upon public transport. Within the Northumberland county the town of Blyth has one of the highest percentages of residents who do not own a car. Are there any plans to improve access to the Hospital and Health Centre via public transport?
Transport and access are a key consideration of any service reviews that the CCG conducts. The provision of local, public transport services is a matter for the local authority and transport companies. However, this matter is something that the CCG will certainly raise with our colleagues at Northumberland County Council for consideration
2. There are no front facing secure cycle parking bays at the Blyth Hospital and Health Centre either for staff or the public. Are there any plans to provide them to encourage this healthy activity and means of transport?
The CCG is keen to promote and encourage exercise, improving health and wellbeing, and sustainable transport. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHCFT) manages hospital estates and facilities. The CCG will raise this matter with colleagues at NHCFT for consideration.
3. Is there a requirement for further consolidated facilities in Blyth Town Centre e.g. extended GP surgery, Youth Health & Wellbeing Mental Health & Addiction facilities, Integrated Car Facilities etc. And If there is would Northumberland CCG be interested in procuring a BDT proposed development to extend the existing Blyth Health Centre to accommodate this consolidated requirement?
The CCG constantly reviews services provided, demand on services and any gaps in service provision. There is an increasing focus on how the health and care system work collaboratively, including with other agencies/organisations, as appropriate. The CCG is committed and open to full engagement with local communities about how we can best meet the needs of our public and patients and improve health outcomes. This meeting is not an appropriate forum to discuss potential tendering/procurement however, if opportunities arise for local engagement and involvement, these will be managed through the appropriate procurement and engagement processes.
If you have any feedback please email our general enquiries mailbox at norccg.enquiries@nhs.net with the subject line ‘APM Feedback’.