The Chief Executive of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will submit Document “E” which provides a strategic overview of the national, regional and local issues for the health, social care and wellbeing sector workforce, and a progress update on the development and delivery of the Bradford District and Craven Integrated Workforce Programme’s (IWP) workforce strategy. This includes:

-       An overview of the context in which the IWP is operating nationally, regionally and locally. The local strategic context includes the development of the two Accountable Care Systems across Bradford and Airedale, the District’s Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (in development), the Home First strategy for adult social care in the District and the Children, Young People and Families Plan.

-       The key workforce priorities, challenges, and enablers, regionally and locally.

-       Progress across the four key IWP work programmes and alignment with other workforce initiatives and workstreams.

Recommended-

(1)       That the Health and Wellbeing Board be assured that the Integrated Workforce Programme (IWP) strategy and work programmes are taking the right approach and actions to support achievement of the vision and objectives for health and social care in the District.

(2)       That the Board provides support in communicating the ambitions and actions of the IWP at regional and district forums; providing any links or connections that the Board thinks may strengthen the approach of the IWP.

(3)       That the Board advise the IWP on the nature and frequency of further reports to the Board.

                                                                        (Michelle Turner – 01274 237290)

Members were reminded that on 20 June 2017 the Bradford and Airedale Health and Wellbeing Board held a development meeting and workforce issues were identified as a key area for the Board’s Work Regime 2017/18.

The Chief Executive of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust submitted Document “E” supported by a presentation which provided a strategic overview of the national, regional and local issues for the health, social care and wellbeing sector workforce, and a progress update on the development and delivery of the Bradford District and Craven Integrated Workforce Programme’s (IWP) workforce strategy. This included:

-           An overview of the context in which the IWP was operating nationally, regionally and locally. The local strategic context included the development of the two Accountable Care Systems across Bradford and Airedale, the District’s Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (in development), the Home First strategy for adult social care in the District and the Children, Young People and Families Plan.

-              The key workforce priorities, challenges, and enablers, regionally and locally.

-           Progress across the four key IWP work programmes and alignment with other workforce initiatives and workstreams.

It was reported that workforce issues and challenges included a lack of comprehensive and robust workforce data across the system; high turnover in some occupational groups; a national shortage of professionally qualified staff in some professions; high vacancy rates in some occupational groups; high sickness absence rates; lack of capacity and skills shortage in mentoring for clinical placements and over reliance on agency staffing in some sectors.

Members were informed that operating across the health and wellbeing system meant removal of the boundaries between primary and specialist services, health and social care and mental and physical health to create a sector-wide workforce able to be responsive to need.

Having system wide integration meant having the right people, in the right numbers, in the right place, at the right time, with the right skills, behaviours and attitudes.

In response to a Member’s question it was reported that since the introduction of student loans for nursing there was no longer a cap on university places for nursing; universities were keen to offer nursing courses but needed Health Service to provide a corresponding number of clinical placements; Bradford University and partners had applied to establish a Medical School; work was on going with universities and to increase clinical placements.

A Member emphasised the amount of work involved in changing the focus from single organisations to a system-wide focus. In response it was reported that a local Workforce Action Group was set up to map and co-ordinate work happening locally in this area.

Members were informed that the work that was in progress considered issues such as the implications of new ways of working and transformation and change programmes for the sort of roles and skills that would be needed; the need to ensure that training providers were involved; preparing the workforce of the future for working within a local health system rather than within a single organisation. There had been a strong emphasis on working with staff throughout this process. Good work was being undertaken by the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts on medical locums and looking at standardising job descriptions etc.

It was reported that a process was being developed to look at staff who were absent from work and trying to support them back into work earlier by considering whether they could return to work in different roles or areas which suited their current needs.

A discussion was held on how to remove barriers to recruiting doctors who live locally but had studied abroad.

Resolved-

(1)       That the Health and Wellbeing Board be assured that the Integrated Workforce Programme (IWP) strategy and work programmes are taking the right approach and actions to support achievement of the vision and objectives for health and social care in the District.

(2)       That the Board provides support in communicating the ambitions and actions of the IWP at regional and district forums; providing any links or connections that the Board thinks may strengthen the approach of the IWP.

(3)       That a progress report be submitted to the Board in 6 months time.

Action:           Chief Executive, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust