Posted on: 25 February 2021
This week’s leadership message comes from Dr Prabal Datta, Consultant Cerebrovascular Physician at Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Lead Clinician for the newly established West Yorkshire and Harrogate Integrated Stroke Delivery Network.
Hello my name is Prabal,
I have worked as a stroke physician in West Yorkshire and Harrogate for 15 years and always supported a networked approach to delivering stroke care. I was pleased to hear that stroke care was highlighted as a national priority in the NHS Long Term Plan (2019) and was keen to develop our existing West Yorkshire and Harrogate Stroke Clinical Network into an Integrated Stroke Delivery Network. Joining me is our network manager, Rachel Stewart and our network administrator, Nicola Hall. Albeit a small team, we are excited to be part of this important work.
The aim of the Integrated Stroke Delivery Network is to bring together stroke services, to deliver the best possible care for people living in West Yorkshire and Harrogate across the whole of the pathway, from preventing stroke, urgent and acute care (the care people receive in the first 72hrs), rehabilitation and life after stroke and ensuring equity of service across the patch. The Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks will be responsible for designing and delivering optimal stroke pathways, using a networked approach to reduce the number of people dying from stroke, disability and the weight of strokes on families and carers.
Stroke is the largest cause of disability in the UK and the fourth biggest killer. In West Yorkshire and Harrogate, around 3000 people a year have a stroke with two thirds of stroke survivors left with some form of physical, mental or emotional disability – often completely life changing. Timely intervention can make a big difference to the outcome of stroke on a person’s life. Every single minute of delay can prove to be a major life changer as more and more nerve cells die without proper intervention. Strokes can be caused by a clot in a blood vessel stopping blood flow or from a rupture of a blood vessel leading to a bleed. Both types of strokes are a medical emergency. In the former removal of clot by giving clot busting drugs (Thrombolysis) or extracting the clot from the brain (Thrombectomy) can only be administered in the first few hours of stroke and not afterwards. In the latter situation managing blood pressure in the first few hours of a bleed is crucial. Due to ongoing fear about contracting COVID – 19 in hospital people may delay seeking emergency medical attention. Our experience since the beginning of the pandemic shows that many people have stayed home with stroke symptoms. It’s important to stress that stroke services across West Yorkshire and Harrogate have been fully operational since the beginning of the pandemic and continues to be.
Therefore if you recognise the symptoms then it is time to act and act FAST. Dial 999 to ensure timely access for life changing treatments.
Across the system, teams have worked hard to ensure continuous delivery of stroke services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many hospital and community based services have rapidly adapted the way that they work, to meet the needs of people during this challenging time. This has led to new innovative ways of working, with many services adopting digital solutions such as video consultations and working more closely with the Stroke Association who provide services and support to patients and carers across our region.
As an Integrated Stroke Delivery Network we are very proud of all colleagues delivering stroke services across West Yorkshire and Harrogate. It’s been a challenging winter due to COVID-19 and inclement weather, and all our colleagues have shown commitment and resilience when delivering care , working above and beyond in different roles, finding creative solutions and putting the needs of their patients first, striving to optimise their experience and access to treatment.
We have some big national targets to achieve over the next 12 months and we will be working together to improve access to Thrombolysis and Thrombectomy and, to understand and reduce health inequalities for stroke patients and their carers, to have a focused stroke prevention strategy with clear milestones and ensure delivery of a needs-based stroke specific community rehabilitation.
We are confident that if we work as a system together with all relevant stakeholders and benchmark ourselves using the quality indicators set out in the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP), we will achieve our ambition for all services to reach a SSNAP level Score A in all key areas across our region, which will ensure equity of access and highlight our successes and importantly save more people’s lives.
Enjoy the weekend and stay safe,
Prabal
What else has been happening this week?
Government’s Road Map
On Monday, the Prime Minister gave a statement to Parliament on the roadmap for easing lockdown restrictions in England and published the ‘COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021’ roadmap.
This roadmap sets out how the Government will begin to lift restrictions in England from 8 March, starting with schools and colleges. It outlines four steps for easing restrictions. Before taking each step, the Government will review the latest data on the impact of the previous step against the following four tests:
- The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
- Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
- Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
- The Government’s assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern
The four steps for easing restrictions are:
- Step 1 – the priority is to ensure that all children and students return safely to face-to-face education in schools and colleges from 8 March.
- Step 2 – which will be no earlier than 12 April, will see the opening of non-essential retail; personal care premises such as hairdressers and nail salons; and public buildings, including libraries and community centres.
- Step 3 – which will be no earlier than 17 May, the Government will look to continue easing limits on seeing friends and family wherever possible, allowing people to decide on the appropriate level of risk for their circumstances.
- Step 4 – which will take place no earlier than 21 June, the Government hopes to be in a position to remove all legal limits on social contact. Before Step 4 begins, the Government will complete a review of social distancing and other long-term measures that have been put in place to cut transmission.
View or download the graphics detailing the Roadmap steps:
West Yorkshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee
West Yorkshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Tuesday. The committee includes chairs of local place overview and scrutiny committees. The committee brings all local authorities in West Yorkshire together to give an overview of the work of our Partnership. Members received an update on the white paper which marks the first major change in health legislation to the 2012 Health and Social Care Act introduced by the coalition government (widely known as the ‘Lansley reforms’). It follows a consultation document published by NHS England / NHS Improvement setting out options for putting Integrated Care Systems on a legal footing. There was also an update on the West Yorkshire Vaccine Programme and a discussion on the further engagement work of the assessment and treatment units for people with complex learning disabilities.
The Improving Population Health Board
The Board met on Friday 12 February 2021. Members caught up with initiatives around climate change, diabetes, health and housing, health inequalities, prevention and reducing violent crime.
Voluntary, community and public sector organisations have been submitting their applications for the Green Social Prescribing Grant Fund which launched earlier this month. Additionally, we’ve allocated Targeted Prevention Funding to 11 applicants who will present their plans at a prevention network meeting.
Referrals to the Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme have increased significantly, largely thanks to the joint working of the partnership project managers and GP practices to target those at risk of type 2 diabetes. We are also routinely achieving the targets set by NHS England for supporting people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. We’ve also started early work with our learning disability health and care champions to access structured education for the prevention of diabetes.
Keeping fit and well was high on the agenda including setting up a West Yorkshire and Harrogate Smoke Free Forum and adapting a whole system approach to address healthy weight and physical activity. We are developing the housing and mental health collaboration agreement; looking at housing developments for people with complex needs; and compiling evidence to help address inequalities for people with learning disabilities and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19. Work continues at pace to deliver a range of initiatives as part of the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit to reduce serious violence and exploitation, especially among victims aged 25 or under. That includes the launch of the Adversity, Trauma and Resilience Knowledge Exchange from Monday 22 to Wednesday 24 March 2021.
The board which is chaired by Dr James Thomas, Chair of Bradford District and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group and Robin Tuddenham, CEO for Calderdale Council and Chief Officer for Calderdale Commissioning Group includes colleagues from public health, the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE), council and the NHS.
Developing the Partnership’s anti-racist movement
The project group to develop an anti-racist movement met on Wednesday for the third time. The West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership Review into the impact of COVID-19 on health inequalities and support needed for Black Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities and colleagues published its report on the 22 October 2020. One of the report recommendations includes the coproduction of an anti-racism movement which recognises and appreciates that BAME people are not one homogenous population.
Integral to any movement is the impact of interpersonal, institutional and structural racism on inequalities in health outcomes for BAME communities. These refer to the range of different issues people might experience. For example, direct experiences of racism from other people, ways in which organisations might act to exclude certain groups of people, and fundamental differences in life opportunities. By working across our large Partnership we hope to embed the movement within organisation structures to ensure it is much more than a one off campaign and that it becomes something which is sustainable well into the future.
The project group includes West Yorkshire and Harrogate BAME Network colleagues, VCSE colleagues, councils, Healthwatch, GPs and other front line workers and includes people with lived experience of racism. Together we will co-produce and oversee the development of the movement. Supported by the Violence Reduction Unit, we hope to launch the first phase of the movement in summer 2021.
These photos of West Yorkshire and Harrogate volunteers were taken before the Coronavirus pandemic.
Harnessing the Power of Communities
The Harnessing the Power of Communities Programme have been busy taking forward the six areas of change in the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector VCSE Business Plan agreed by the Partnership Board in December 2020. Initially we are focusing on VCSE commissioning and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise representation across the Partnership.
We are working with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership on research around the economic and social value of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector and of volunteering across the region. This will provide a strong evidence base of the value of the sector and its importance in the local economy and in terms of an inclusive economic recovery. This is being undertaken in three stages and we hope the first will be complete by the end of April 2021.
At Primary Care Network (PCN) level we are testing new pathways delivered by the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise in collaboration with Primary Care Networks. This includes a pathfinder focused on Musculoskeletal (joints and bones) with Modality and Infinity PCNs in Bradford and District funded through the Health Equalities Partnership Programme funding. We are planning to further strengthen the links between the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector and health at Primary Care Network level having secured some additional funding for further development work in other Primary Care Networks. Our evaluation of the NHS Volunteer Responders scheme is underway – and if you have any feedback on this, we would still be happy to hear from you at wakccg.
We continue to work alongside other programmes to develop the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise voice and engagement in shaping and delivering services in ways that are sustainable for the sector and deliver improved health and wellbeing outcomes for people – especially those least likely to access mainstream health services. We are currently exploring approaches to reaching BAME communities and increasing access to cancer screening, work to prevent an escalation of diabetes in children and young people, and encouraging programmes to embed Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise delivery into health and care pathways rather than fund short term project work. If anyone is interested in exploring ways to do this for your programme or service area, please do get in contact with us.
Implementation of shared ICE system across West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts
The implementation of a shared Integrated Clinical Environment (ICE) system across West Yorkshire and Harrogate hospitals is to begin, following approval of the full business case by the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts’ Committee in Common on January 26, 2021.
ICE is already used as a requesting and resulting system in West Yorkshire and Harrogate for a range of diagnostic tests. This new development will allow pathology test requesting and resulting information that is currently held in several different systems, to be shared between hospital trusts - and also between primary and secondary care. The implementation of the integrated system will improve patient experience by, in many incidences, reducing the need for clinically unwarranted repeat testing and enabling patients to access tests closer to home. Clinicians will benefit from better visibility of results and reduced duplication of ordering and sample collection, which ultimately supports quicker diagnosis and treatment for patients. Most of the changes will take place in the background, so configuration of local systems will not change for clinicians using the system, other than an upgrade to the latest version of ICE.
The implementation will be managed as part of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Pathology Network’s Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) deployment and project infrastructure. However, as ICE is not just a system used by pathology colleagues, the project team will involve a much wider range of staff in the design and implementation.
‘Stronger, healthier, better together’ webinar series continues with celebrity speakers
The latest in a series of community resilience webinars hosted by the Partnership takes place today (Friday) at 11.15am. The third in the ‘Stronger, healthier, better together’ event series will bring together voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) colleagues and other stakeholders from across West Yorkshire and Harrogate to talk about community resilience before, during COVID-19 and moving forward. The webinar will be hosted by Rob Webster (WY&H HCP CEO Lead); and Hilary Thompson (Chairperson of Third Sector Leaders Kirklees and Lead for Harnessing the Power of Communities).
Speakers will share their thoughts and learning about how their individual resilience has inspired community action. Guest speakers who have donated their time include Jimmy Gittins (ex-rugby league player and speaker for State of Mind mental health charity); Sajeed Mahmood, Women’s Activity Centre, Halifax; Julian Norton (British veterinary surgeon, author and TV personality)and International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS) founders and experts by experience.
COVID-19 vaccination
Films in Punjabi
In this vaccination video created by Sikh Alliance Yorkshire, Bibi Kulwant Kaur takes us to her Covid-19 vaccination appointment and explains the process. In this follow-up video, Bibi goes on to share her thoughts after being vaccinated and her wish that everyone has the vaccination to benefit the whole community. Spoken in Punjabi with English subtitles.
Vaccine for people over 60 years old
If you are over 60 and live in West Yorkshire you can now book your COVID-19 vaccination using the National Booking Service. If not, you will be contacted when it is your turn. Please do not contact your GP practice for an appointment.
The Shielding Experts
With the third national lockdown being introduced in January 2021, over 100,000 clinically extremely vulnerable people across the region were once again asked to shield. The Partnership, along with the Local Resilience Forum, West Yorkshire Prepared, hosted ‘The Shielding Experts’ webinar on Wednesday 3 February 2021, providing a valuable opportunity to listen to people about their experiences of shielding.
Attendees heard insight from research and surveys, including this Healthwatch presentation 'Listening to shielders' which explains how Healthwatch has been listening to people's experiences of shielding and what individuals and community organisations told them. The webinar also included a presentation by Ann-Louise Caress, Professor of Health Services Research and Director, Centre for Applied Research in Health at the University of Huddersfield. 'Shielding during the Covid pandemic - survey findings' looks at a study of 1,423 people who were shielding and 383 family members.
More importantly, attendees heard the personal experiences of those who shielded, including staff, to inform our health and care practice as we move forward. The aim of the webinar was to help support people who live and work across West Yorkshire and Harrogate to put the right conditions in place to enable those with the highest clinical risk to stay happy, healthy and safe. You can find out more here and there is also a film.
Open call for innovation in cancer care : SBRI Healthcare Cancer Programme: Competition 1
The NHS Cancer Programme is launching an open call for innovation in cancer care on 17 March 2021
An online briefing for the challenge, including application and assessment process, will be held on Thursday 4th March 2021
The funding of up to £15million, which will be delivered by NHS England and NHS Improvement in partnership with SBRI Healthcare Cancer Programme, will swiftly bring new and existing cancer care innovations to the NHS frontline.
The goal is to ensure practical translation of leading research and innovation, directly into cancer care, seeking to directly benefit patients by addressing the challenges of early detection and diagnosis along with the diagnostic efficiency of cancer services. Applications are welcomed for innovative, creative and future proof ideas across medical devices, digital health and equipment, behaviour intervention and new models of care. The aim is to accelerate future innovation in the healthcare sector, focusing on cancer. The call supports the ambitions in the NHS Long Term Plan (LTP), which was published in January 2019. It sets out stretching ambitions and commitments to improve cancer outcomes and services in England over the next ten years. The contracts awarded will be for a maximum of 18 months for up to £5million (incl. VAT), subject to justification.
An online briefing for the challenge including the application and assessment process will be held on Thursday, 4 March 2021 (link below to register). Professor Richard Gilbertson, Chair, NHS Cancer Programme Innovation Expert Advisory Group and Professor Peter Johnson, Clinical Director of the NHS Cancer Programme will introduce the clinical challenges currently presenting themselves in the cancer world. The Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) and the Cancer Alliances will also provide further insights. Eventbrite: https://
For further details of the competition, eligibility criteria, and the application and assessment process, please refer to the relevant documents on the competition pages of the SBRI website. https://sbrihealthcare.co.uk/competition/sbri-healthcare-cancer-programme/ Contact: sbri