Question to ICB Board 20 July 2023

Posted on by swfhealthsocial

SWF Health & Social Care Group asked the following question of the Mid & South Essex Integrated Care Board [MSE ICB]: “Until the Public Inquiry into Essex Mental Health Services is completed how will the confidence of adult mental health patients, their loved ones, and the people of South Woodham Ferrers and all parts of Southend, Essex and Thurrock be restored?” to which we received the following response:

“MSE ICB fully appreciates the concerns that you submitted to July’s ICB Board.  By way of assurance, the ICB is working in partnership with NHSE England, Herts and West Essex ICB, Suffolk and North East Essex ICB and the CQC to have oversight of all quality service improvements required.   As part of the oversight process the ICB have a number of formal mechanisms in place which provide assurance that all improvements and learning are fully implemented and sustained.   Examples of this include:

  • Joint quality assurance visits which are reported through to each organisation’s Quality Committee and escalated to Board by exception.
  • Quality oversight and support meetings –
    • Clinical Quality Review Group – monthly meeting between ICB and Trust to review data and progress against actions to improve.
    • Monthly ‘Quality Together’ meetings where progress against CQC actions is monitored and a deep dive into specific areas associated with the CQC action plan.
    • Weekly safety huddle with Trust and ICBs to share any safety risks or concerns.
    • ICB attendance at Trust quality meetings – Quality Committee and Learning from Death’s Forum.
  • The Rapid Quality Review meetings were held on 14 December 2022, and 2 February 2023. The meetings were set up to rapidly to share intelligence, to identify actions and support to the Trust. Attendance at the meeting included representation from multiple partners (e.g. Local Authority, NHSE, CQC, HealthWatch). A further meeting will be held in the near future to ensure improvements are being made at the Trust.”

Subsequently this issue has been discussed with MSE ICB’s Chief Executive when we interviewed him recently and with the incoming Executive Chief Nurse. A similar question has been put to Essex Partnership University NHS Trust’s Board Meeting being held in public on 27 September 2023.