A verbal update was provided to the meeting from Fiona Ryan (Managing Director for Care Group 1 which covers Basildon and Orsett Hospital from the Mid and South Essex Trust). She explained that at the last meeting there was a briefing on the CQC report that had recently been published. The rating was inadequate for medical services across all 3 hospital sites., nutrition and hydration were a concern. As a result of the inadequate rating a re-visit from CQC took place early in July, an update on the warning notice was expected to be received within a few weeks however this still has not been received. The improvement delivery continues. There is a focus on urgent and emergency care following poor performance due to long waiting times for patients and delays with ambulance offloads. In relation to cancer, the faster diagnostic standard is 28 days. Currently, 66.9% of patients are receiving a diagnosis within 28 days, the target is 75%. In any one month 6000 referrals are received.

·       There is a backlog of 663 patients waiting to receive treatment or discharge for over 62 days. this is however a significant improvement as numbers were previously in the thousands.

·       There is currently a 4 week wait in Thurrock for phlebotomy. The rate of people who do not attend their appointments is quite high.

·       They are working to eliminate all 104 week waits.4. On 12^th July 4603 patients waiting for treatment down from a peak last year of 4800.

·       They are currently winter planning. Acute Hospital sites and their Workforce were overstretched last year.

Councillor Fish queried the current waiting times for the Haematology service. Fiona Ryan responded that she didn’t have that data in front of her.

Councillor Speight commented that the hospitals target of 75% for patients receiving a diagnosis within 28 days seems low. Fiona Ryan responded that the reality is one test doesn’t often give a confirmed diagnosis and the standard reflects that for some patients a number of tests may be required to reach that confirmed position.

Councillor Polley raised that the phlebotomy walk-in service at Orsett has been removed and has gone to appointment only. Residents under treatment are asked to get their bloods done prior to treatment and sometimes at short notice, if residents are unable to use a walk-in service this could affect their treatment if they are unable to get a blood test appointment. Fiona Ryan responded that previously there was a system to prioritise these patients and she will request that a future capacity plan for Thurrock is provided to address the long waits.

Mark Tebb added that the voluntary sector can support with winter planning for example with discharge but he would request time to plan and mobilise those services.

The Chair queried if the hospital was looking into the case raised by Councillor Speight at the start of the meeting where a man died as a result of being discharged from hospital. Fiona Ryan responded that she doesn’t have the details, but she will make enquiries and report back to the Committee.