Agenda item

          The Board received a presentation from Lucy Gardner, Director of Strategy and Partnerships, Warrington & Halton Hospitals (WHH) which provided updates on:

 

Anchor Institutes – Anchor institutions were large organisations such as NHS trusts, which are unlikely, by their nature, to relocate, have a significant stake in their local area as a result, and have sizeable assets which can be used to support local community health and wellbeing, including tackling health inequalities.

 

WHH was an anchor institution.  This meant that WHH had an opportunity to positively influence the health and wellbeing of the patients and local communities. A Board level commitment was in place to use the Trust’s position and influence to work with others in responsible ways, to have an even greater impact on the wider factors that created happy, healthy and thriving communities.

 

An overview was provided on the WHH journey as an anchor institution and how this work was delivered through several initiatives, including the Halton Health Hub, the Community Diagnostic Centre and the emerging Health and Education Hub.

 

The presentation provided a progress update as WHH continued to mature as an anchor institution and advance the Trust’s commitment to tackling health inequalities, whilst striving to achieve the NHS Green Plan objectives and boosting opportunities to make a positive social impact.

 

The Board received an update following the completion of the project to develop an out-of-hospital hub to deliver clinical outpatient services from Runcorn Shopping City and opportunities for future development. 

 

Halton & Warrington Community Diagnostic Centre - The Trust had been successful in bidding for brand new capital and revenue funding from NHS England to develop a Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at the Halton site, to deliver capacity for an additional c211,000 diagnostic tests by the end of 2024.

 

Phase 1 was the CDC Fast Track, planned to be operational by March 2023.  This was to design and build a new multi-storey car park and refurbish the Nightingale Building to create:

 

·       3 x cardio-respiratory rooms;

·       2 x ultrasound rooms;

·       1 x phlebotomy room;

·       1 x point of care testing room;

·       1 x medical records store;

·       1 x IT room; and

·       Adequate waiting areas.

 

Phase 2 was the large scale CDC and it was anticipated that this would be completed by July 2024.  Further updates would be provided in due course.

 

Halton Health Hub – In November 2022 the Trust welcomed its first patients to the Halton Health Hub which was a result of a partnership between WHH, Halton Borough Council and the Liverpool City Region.  The services delivered in the first instance were:

 

·       Paediatric Optometry / Orthoptics;

·       Paediatric Dietetics;

·       Adult Optometry / Orthoptics;

·       Adult Dietetics; and

·       Over 55 Hearing Screening and Assessment.

 

Progress of the Development of the Runcorn Health and Education Hub - WHH, in partnership with Halton Borough Council (HBC), Riverside College,  Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCH) and Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, developed a project to create a Health and Education Hub in Runcorn as part of Reconnecting Runcorn Town Deal project. 

 

The Health and Education Hub project was one of seven projects within the Runcorn Town Deal “Reconnecting Runcorn” plan.  The focus of the hub was for families and young people, with some specific support for other demographics.  Services currently planned included:

 

·       Preventative services;

·       Women and children’s services;

·       Services for people with long term conditions;

·       Health skills and training alongside work experience opportunities; and

·       Access to employment support.

 

The presentation outlined the progress and the next steps. 

 

          RESOLVED:  The Board noted the contents of the presentation and supported the Trusts plan for development of the CDC at its Halton site.