Non Executive and Chairman of the Trust Chairman s Welcome and Introduction

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1 Present: WELSH AMBULANCE SERVICES NHS TRUST Draft Minutes of the Modernisation Committee Meeting held at 2pm on 14 th September 2007 via Videoconferencing at Trust Headquarters, C&W and SE Mr D Evans Mr S Fletcher Mr P Price Mr T Woodhead Miss S Harris Mr J Jones Mr D Jones-Morris Mr P Newman Mr S Reynolds Mr B Roberts Mr G Thomas Mrs J Winspear Apologies: Mr A Ashdown Mr M Cassidy Mr T Cowley Mr D Jackland Ms S Jones Mr A Murray Mrs K Pitt Non Executive (Chair) Non Executive and Chairman of the Trust Non Executive Director Director of Finance Project Support Corporate Accountant Regional Director ICT Operations Manager Senior Programme Manager Staff Representative (TGWU) National Equipment Manager National PCS Manager Paramedic Supervisor C&W Director of Ambulance Services National Fleet Manager Director of ICT Director of Unscheduled Care Chief Executive Clinical Audit Manager Chairman s Welcome and Introduction The Chairman welcomed Paul Newman, Simon Reynolds and Dawn Sharp to the meeting, on the basis of their first attendance Minutes of the previous meeting held on 16 th July 2007 RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on 16 th July 2007, be approved as a correct record Matters Arising Minute There was no confirmation to date on the position with Pontypridd & Rhondda regarding their non participation in regional call centre arrangements and WAG were pursuing the matter. Mrs Julie Winspear reported that a meeting was scheduled for October and then possibly the matter would need to be elevated to Chief Executive level. Action - JW Minute Strategic Outline Case (SOC) the Director of Finance envisaged a slippage on the Make Ready Depot Project, due to Assembly Government funding being over a six year programme and not the three originally anticipated. In view of the 2009 targets, timings in relation to the Make Ready programme would have to 1

2 be revisited. It was noted that the site assessment criteria was yet to be circulated to members. Action TW Time to Make a Difference Programme Update The Committee received an updated written report and a PIN report of projects showing their status, from Mr Simon Reynolds the Senior Programme Manager. He reported that the Project Management Department (PMD) currently consisted of eight people and this was significant to the gathering pace of projects. The team was expected to reach full capacity by the end of September. The PIN report had given each project a rating of red, amber or green. Red highlighted projects which were causing concern. The Committee noted that future PIN reports would show projects as red where a project had featured as amber for three consecutive months. Likewise projects that had a start date that had passed, and were currently still not started would be shown as amber or red. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) projects OPSP002/003 and 004 had been brought from a red status to green and amber respectively. After a workshop held in Newtown where all projects had been discussed, a working group had been formed to take these projects forward. Project managers were also moving forward with Project Initiation Documentation (PID) which would be ready for signing off in October. OPSP012 had suffered a setback as the original PID had been revisited and updated. The exception report was due to be published before the end of the month, although there was no set timescale to date. Project OPSP008 was being expanded to incorporate OPSP009 and also to take out the training element of OPSP11. The Patient Care Services (PCS) projects continued to be challenging, although projects 006/007 were progressing well. PCSP009 Ambulance Car Services remained red for the fourth month as the planned delivery date had been missed. There were a number of issues relating to this project, not least the rate per mile payment to volunteer car drivers which needed to be resolved as a matter of priority. This matter was clearly gathering pace and it was agreed that further staffing resources needed to be made available to take this work forward as quickly as possible. Members noted that due to the complexity and issues within the PCS strand an experienced programme manager would be recruited on a fixed term contract to manage the project. With regard to Unscheduled Care, the team were on track although, due to sickness of a project lead, one project had fallen to an amber rating. It was noted that these projects did not have a project manager assigned to them, however it was made clear that project support was available if required. Within USCP003 alternative pathways needed to be looked into. Work was currently being undertaken between USC and the PMD to ensure that the interdependencies with other strands and their projects were fully understood. It was important that all projects in this area were fully integrated alongside those within EMS and PCS areas. Projects within the Governance strand although showing green, required further work in terms of revised Standing Orders (SOs) Standing Financial Instructions 2

3 (SFIs), and the Scheme of Delegation. Work relating to the revision of SOs had been put back on the understanding that Model Standing Orders had been due to be issued by WAG earlier in the year. As these were now delayed it was agreed that work should be undertaken in house to produce revised documentation as soon as possible with a draft being taken to the October Audit Committee. It was agreed that these would need to form part of a new project which would need to be established as GOVP003. The Human Resources projects mainly showing green were reported to be progressing well with only HRP007 remaining amber as a deadline had not been met. A workshop had been arranged for 5 th October 2007 to manage the project. It was noted that HRP004 Agenda for Change finish date needed revising in view of the work outstanding which still needed to be addressed. The Finance projects were reported to be doing well and FP005 had been completed. Issues were noted regarding the performance of the BSP, in that the prompt payment policy would not be achieved this year. The estates project ESTP001 informed projects 002/003 on estates key issues, where statutory work needed to be carried out. More funding was required in order for the work to be carried out. As an interim measure, buildings which were most in need, would be raised to a satisfactory condition. Projects covered by the ICT strand interlinked with many other projects across the board and Vantage Point House still remained as the major project. The Committee noted that a Project Management Board was in the process of being formed. This Board would meet on a monthly basis, not least to discuss the benefits of each of the projects. RESOLVED : That (1) additional resources be made available to support the PCS projects and in particular resolve the issues relating to mileage rates paid to volunteer drivers as a matter of urgency; and (2) a new project GOVP003 be established to take forward the work associated with revisiting the Trusts Standing Orders, SFI and further development of the Scheme of Delegation. Action DS, TW, SR Fleetcare New Vehicle Project The Committee received a written report prepared by the National Fleet Manager, Mr Tony Cowley on the progress of the Trust s vehicle upgrade project, which Mr Gwyn Thomas reported on in his absence. The purchase of 119 EMS vehicles had been concluded and the project was closed. The PCS vehicles project had also been completed with the exception of 25 vehicles that had been deferred to 2007/08. Discussions were still ongoing on the best use of the JAKAB Mercedes vehicles. Nine Rapid Response Vehicles were awaiting the fitting of Satellite Navigation 3

4 Systems before delivery which was imminent. It was noted that there were 46 vehicles within the Trust, presently part of the EMS structure that could be converted, dependent upon need, to High Dependency Units (HDU). These vehicles would have the blue lights removed to ensure that the vehicles were not used for any other purpose than HDU duties. With regard to the Non Ambulance Transport (NAT)/Health Courier Service (HCS) vehicles, the report stated that nine vehicles were in need of replacement and that there was a vehicle over its lease term that would need to be evaluated for cost before replacement. It also set out details of the planned replacement programme. RESOLVED: That the position be noted New South East Control Vantage Point House (VPH) A written report was received by the Committee. The Business Justification Case had been signed off and approved by WAG. The lease for VPH had been signed, with minor amendments made, to include a five year break clause. The lease commenced immediately with a rent free period, up to the 1 st March 2008, which would ensure the completion of the fitting out stage. Discussions were ongoing, on relation to whether Gwent GP out of hours would relocate to VPH. No income had been assumed for rent purposes, however capacity within the building would be available. Two dates had been set aside for layout days for the control room to ensure the layout and position of staff was correct. HAM had been working with control staff and had developed a concept design. Work was still ongoing, in key areas, to ensure room conditions were correct. Work on the lighting and temperature control was due for completion shortly. RESOLVED: That (1) the position be noted; and (2) clarification be sought from Gwent OOH regarding co-location at VPH Action - DJ Ambulance Radio Replacement Project (ARRP) The Committee was updated with regard to the latest position in relation to the Ambulance Radio Project. A coverage verification workshop had been held on 15 th August which had allowed operational and technical staff within the Trust to see the extent and level of coverage that would go live in Arrangements were now in place for a dedicated team to carry out coverage testing throughout Wales during September. Any anomalies would be recorded and fed back to Airwave for investigation. 4

5 The Committee noted the activities to be undertaken during the next period. RESOLVED: That the position be noted Service Change and Efficiency Programme The Committee received a written report from the Director of Finance. The Trust had been committed to a plan to save 12.7m throughout the financial year. Up to 31 st July 2007 the Trust had saved 3.65m against a forecasted saving of 3.8m, representing a 96% achievement. New Vehicles would now allow the return of leased ones against which savings would be made. In month five, the schemes in the Central & West Region had shown significant improvement. The delayed implementation of rota changes, had been significant in the SCEP programme. The Director of Finance recommended a number of actions as follows:- Schemes currently achieving savings to be monitored on a regular basis to ensure that they continue to deliver expected savings; for those schemes currently underachieving, where savings could still be achieved, responsible Directors needed to confirm actions being undertaken to achieve the required savings by the end of the year; and for those schemes currently underachieving, where savings would not be achieved, responsible Directors were required to identify alternative schemes and actions to replace those that would not achieve required savings. Members noted that there were two such schemes namely the lease savings and the savings on rota changes. The Director of Finance continued to have one to one meetings with each Director to discuss progress towards SCEP target, outcomes from which were being reported to the Chief Executive on a regular basis. RESOLVED: That (1) the current position with regard to the SCEP be approved; and (2) the recommended actions as set out above be approved. Action - All Directors Strategic Outline Programme (SOP) The Director of Finance reported that the SOP figures had not changed significantly from that reported to the last meeting. The SOC for the estates programme was in draft, based on a five case model. The Director of Finance agreed to circulate the draft to the Non Executive Directors and was in discussion with IPAG who were the consultants appointed by the Welsh Assembly Government to scrutinise business cases on their behalf. The Director of Finance ran through the next steps. Whilst the strategy would not represent a significant change or variation in service and would to therefore constitute a formal consultation adequate time needed to be built in to allow for meaningful consultation with a planned communications strategy underpinning the 5

6 consultation arrangements. It was agreed that a further more detailed report would be brought to the next meeting. The Committee noted that the make ready scheme was now being run over a longer time period and as a result interim measures would need to be looked at with regard to stocking and washing facilities until the plan was fully implemented. RESOLVED: That a further report on the Estates Strategy be prepared taking into account proposals for an effective communication and consultation strategy. Action - TW Date of Next Meeting 12 th November am 6