New NHS Derbyshire team has made “significant progress” despite operational and financial challenges

A new team of NHS administrators overseeing healthcare for Derbyshire has made “significant progress” in its first nine months despite some areas of operational and financial challenges which will need further development, according to NHS England.

The NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board – which replaced the former Clinical Commissioning Group for the region – is responsible for planning to meet local health needs, allocating resources, overseeing improved outcomes, commissioning health services, and tackling inequalities while working with local authorities and other partners.

Despite NHS England praising NHS Derby and Derbyshire as having made “significant progress”, the organisation came under criticism recently from some concerned residents who were saddened to learn the DDICB had altered its commissioning arrangement and withdrawn funding for DHU Healthcare to deliver the Palliative Care Urgent Response Service seven-days-a-week after the board believes alternative care support already exists.

Chris Clayton, ICB chief executive, said: “I’m pleased that the work we have done in our first year as an ICB has been positively recognised by NHS England.

Some Of The Derbyshire Palliative Care Urgent Response Service Team, Courtesy Of Dhu Healthcare

“There are many challenges, of course, and our health and care system is operating under great pressure all year round.

“However, we are working together across our system, with partners, to seek solutions to the pressures we face in supporting patients and to address our longer-term aims of improving the health of our population and reducing health inequalities.

“Colleagues working in NHS trusts, in primary care, in our local authorities and the voluntary and community sector are all working tirelessly to provide the best care and treatment. We thank them for their work and we will continue to work together to help local people live their healthiest lives.”

However, a DHU Healthcare spokesperson stated it was “incredibly disappointing” the PCURS was being reduced but the DDICB claims people at end-of-life will still be supported by professional care from doctors, nurses, community teams, and hospices.

The praise for NHS Derby and Derbyshire came in NHS England’s annual assessment of Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board’s performance in 2022/23 and related comments were published alongside the ICB’s first annual report, which was reviewed by its board on September 21.

NHS England stated: “The ICB has made significant progress in working and engaging with system partners to ensure that strategic priorities are aligned and that there is a developing approach to truly integrated health and care.

“Good progress has been made with leadership and governance arrangements, however there are some areas of operational and financial challenge which will require further development of oversight arrangements and focussed improvement activity in the coming year.”

The ICB annual report lists areas of progress and challenges faced by NHS Derby and Derbyshire during 2022/23 including, notably, urgent care services, patient waiting times, and managing industrial disputes.

These areas included: Developing a new mission, values, goals and desired behaviours with staff; Continuing to manage the impact of Covid-19; High levels of pressure on urgent and emergency care services including three critical incidents; Responding to industrial action by ambulance, nursing and doctors’ unions; Achieving targets for ensuring no patients were waiting longer than 104 weeks for treatment and the further target of 78 weeks – although the 78 week target was achieved in April; And work with partners to produce a strategy and an NHS five-year plan.

NHS Derby and Derbyshire, which is based in Derby, has also recently held a recruitment drive for 500 reservists or freelancers for health and social care jobs who can work shifts flexibly in a variety of care locations such as in a hospital or in a care home.

Darren Tidmarsh, Deputy Chief Executive of Derbyshire Community Health Services Foundation Trust, said: ““Reservists help the NHS and social care at busy times, so we’re recruiting now in readiness for winter when we know more people become ill.”

NHS Derby and Derbyshire commissions healthcare services and they are provided by a number of organisations including Chesterfield Royal Hospital, East Midlands Ambulance Service, DHU Healthcare and others.

Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council provide and commission public services and social care while working with NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board to support social care and better health.