North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Groups support the ‘International Year of the Nurse and Midwife’ campaign

NHS Hambleton Richmondshire and Whitby, NHS Harrogate and Rural District and NHS Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are backing a national initiative, hosted by NHS England and NHS Improvement, which aims to showcase and celebrate nursing and midwifery.

The ‘International Year of the Nurse and Midwife’ will run throughout 2020 and is a chance to recognise the incredible work nurses and midwives do across health and social care.

Throughout the year, the three North Yorkshire CCGs will be encouraging nurses and midwives across the county to share their stories highlighting how they have made a difference to people’s lives and celebrate their achievements.

Chief Nurse for the three North Yorkshire CCGs, Sue Peckitt, said: “We have an amazing and diverse nursing and midwifery workforce in North Yorkshire and having had the pleasure of working alongside nursing colleagues for a number of years, I appreciate how hard they work and know they do everything they can to get the best possible outcomes for patients.

“Being a nurse is a very rewarding and fulfilling career and I encourage all of our local nurses to share their experiences to showcase the brilliant work that they do for patients and the public.”

Any stories shared by nurses and midwives will be hosted on the NHS England and NHS Improvement website. For information on how to share a story, visit: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nursing-people-stories-template/

NHS England and NHS Improvement will also be hosting an event at York Racecourse on 29 April to showcase innovation in nursing across the country.

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is showing support by running a campaign featuring 20 nurses and 20 midwives – details can be found on the Trust’s website: https://www.yorkhospitals.nhs.uk/news-amp-media/international-year-of-the-nurse-and-midwife-2020/

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) and Harrogate and District NHS foundation Trust (HDFT) are planning Year of Nurse and Midwife activities and this information will be available on the North Yorkshire CCGs websites once finalised.

If you are interested in becoming a nurse, search ‘nursing careers’ today, there are hundreds of opportunities to start a career in the field.

Read More

Merger approved for three North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Groups

NHS England has approved the merger of three North Yorkshire clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). The three CCGs – NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby CCG, NHS Harrogate and Rural District CCG and NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG – will become the North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group on 1 April 2020.

We welcome NHS England’s decision and the benefits it will bring to the people of North Yorkshire.

As a single organisation we will be able to:

  • Eliminate unnecessary duplication and bureaucratic boundaries to work more efficiently together and with our partners.
  • Ensure consistency of decision making for the people of North Yorkshire.
  • Develop a unified approach to relationships with the new North Yorkshire Primary Care Networks.
  • Provide a more agile and responsive service which maintains a local focus but enables us to obtain better value for money by commissioning at scale.
  • Reduce administrative costs to enable more investment in front line health services.
  • Share good practice and adopt the best from each of the three existing CCGs.
  • Speak as a unified commissioning voice for the benefit of our local population.
  • Work more strategically on a larger footprint with our local and regional partners.

This merger follows reviews carried out by each of the three North Yorkshire CCGs last year and builds on work already started to improve the way that the CCGs work together and deliver for local people. A single leadership team has already been appointed, following decisions by each CCG’s governing body in summer 2018, and we have already begun to look at how best to structure the new organisation.

Charles Parker, GP and Chair Designate of the North Yorkshire CCG said: “The North Yorkshire CCG will retain the existing commitment to strong clinical leadership and focus on the needs of local people, drawing in best practice from learning across North Yorkshire. The governance model we have developed will still allow there to be strong local leadership and patient engagement, ensuring each area of North Yorkshire will continue to have a strong clinical voice and patients’ views are represented.”

Amanda Bloor, Accountable Officer for the three North Yorkshire CCGs said: “A single commissioning voice will make it easier to reduce some of the health inequalities we see across the county and respond consistently to the needs our population. The merger also will enable us to work more efficiently and at scale freeing up resources to invest in front line health services.”

Work will continue in the months ahead with the community, staff and partners to further develop the North Yorkshire CCG before it begins operations on 1 April 2020. This will include beginning operations in shadow form from the beginning of the new year and developing our operational plan for our first year as well as longer term strategies to guide the work of the new organisation.

Read More

Patients urged to cancel doctors’ appointments if they are no longer needed

Published on Jan 17, 2019

NHS Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is asking patients to do their bit for the local health service this winter by cancelling GP appointments if they are no longer needed.

Nationally, more than 15 million general practice appointments are being wasted each year because patients do not turn up and fail to warn surgeries they do not need the appointment.

That’s around one in 20 of all appointments with doctors, nurses, therapists and other practice staff that could be made available to other patients.

The cost of the wasted appointments is the equivalent of:

the annual salary of 2,325 full time GPs

224,640 cataract operations

58,320 hip replacement operations

216,000 drug treatment courses for Alzheimer’s

the annual salary of 8,424 full time community nurses

NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG Clinical Chair and family GP, Dr Phil Garnett, said: “At any time of the year but especially in winter when demand on local health services increases, it’s very important that appointment slots are not going to waste.

“Our message is clear: if you cannot make it to your appointment or no longer need a consultation, please let your GP practice know in advance so the appointment can be used by another patient.”

There are 12 GP practices in Scarborough and the part of Ryedale overseen by NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG, collectively looking after almost 120,000 patients.

Read More

Ten Year Plan for NHS is published

Published on Jan 8, 2019

The NHS Long Term Plan is the national health service’s plan to make sure it is fit for the future. It aims to give everyone the best start in life, will deliver world-class care for major health problems such as cancer and mental health, and will help people age well.

The plan, backed by extra investment, has been developed by people who know the NHS best – frontline health and care staff, patients and their families, and other experts – who will continue to shape how it is implemented across the country.

Over the next few months, the NHS in Scarborough and Ryedale will be working with patients, the public and partners – including local councils, the voluntary and community sector and social care – to develop local plans to turn the national ambitions contained in the Long Term Plan into real improvements to services and outcomes for patients, building on the progress we’ve already made together over the last few years.

More details about opportunities to help shape our local plans will be shared shortly. In the meantime, to read a copy of the national plan and find out more visit www.longtermplan.nhs.uk.

Read More

Commissioners welcome results of 360 Degree Survey

Published on Aug 31, 2018

NHS Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has welcomed the results of a national survey which show a high level of confidence in decision-making, leadership and engagement.

The 360 Degree survey, conducted by pollsters Ipsos Mori on behalf of NHS England, was completed by 27 key stakeholders in our area including patient groups, local GP practices, NHS providers, other CCGs and local councils.

Among the findings:-

93 per cent of stakeholders rated the effectiveness of their working relationship with the CCG as very or fairly good, compared to 76 per cent nationally

70 per cent of stakeholders had confidence in the CCG to commission and decommission services appropriately (the national average is 57 per cent)

89 per cent of stakeholders said there was clear and visible leadership of the CCG (compared to 69 per cent nationally) and they have confidence in the leadership to deliver on plans and priorities

81 per cent of respondents said they had confidence in the CCG to act on feedback it receives about quality of services (nationally it’s 64 per cent)

85 per cent of stakeholders said they knew about CCG plans and priorities, compared to 78 per cent nationally, with 70 per cent saying when they had commented on those plans and priorities, their views were considered even if the CCG had not been able to act on them (national average is 53 per cent)

70 per cent of stakeholders said they were very or fairly satisfied with how the CCG involves patients and the public, compared to 64 per cent nationally

NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG Chairman, Dr Phil Garnett, said: “We rely on strong relationships with a range of health and care partners to be successful commissioners and make good decisions.

“The results of the survey show, by and large, we have those in place and we are good at working collaboratively to address local health and care challenges and engaging and communicating with patients and the public.”

Read More