The Auditorium, Durham Centre, DH1 1TN
To confirm the minutes of previous meeting are accurate.
Board meeting held in public Tuesday 28 January 2025
Agenda Items
5 - Minutes of the previous Board meeting 26 November 2024
6 - Action log and matters arising
Updates on open actions to be given as appropriate.
The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of recent activity carried out by the ICB team, as well as some key national policy updates.
9 - Board Assurance Framework quarter 3 2024/25
To provide the Board with a refreshed Board Assurance Framework for quarter 3, 2024/25 and an updated corporate risk register for review and consideration.
10 - Governance Handbook (issue 9)
To request Board approval on the proposed changes to the NENC ICB Governance Handbook.
Front Cover Governance Handbook Issue 9
DOC 0 Governance Handbook Title Page Issue 911 - Highlight Reports and Confirmed Minutes of the Committees of the Board
The Board to receive highlight reports and confirmed minutes of the Committees of the Board.
To provide the Board with an overview of the discussions from the Executive Committee meetings in November and December 2024.
11.2 - Quality and Safety Committee
To provide the Board with an overview of the discussions from the Quality and Safety Committee meeting held in November 2024.
11.3 - Finance, Performance and Investment Committee
To provide the Board with an overview of the discussions from the Finance, Performance and Investment Committee meeting held in November 2024.
To provide the Board with an overview of the discussions from the Audit Committee meeting in October 2024.
12 - Integrated Delivery Report
The NENC Integrated Delivery Report (IDR) provides an overview of quality and performance, highlighting any significant changes, areas of risk and mitigating actions.
To provide the Board with an update on the financial performance of the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB) and NENC Integrated Care System (ICS) in the financial year 2024/25 for the eight months to 30 November 2024.
Question received from the public
- Which patient facing services, in which geographical areas, are expected to deliver the largest efficiencies and what is the predicted reduction in patient services that will result?
- Will the proposed ‘deep dives’ be conducted ‘in house’ or by ‘external consultants? If ‘external consultants’ are undertaking this work, which firms have been contracted and what is the agreed cost for this work?
Response
2024/25 has been more challenging than 2023/24 and we expect 2025/26 to be even more so. The North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) has a significant underlying as well as in year financial deficit. Given constraints on finance (ICBs and the overall ICS should not spend more than their funding allocation), the ICB and NHS Foundation Trust providers (FTs) within the ICS will need to ensure maximum efficiency of service delivery and consider what services we can afford to provide going forward. Engagement and Consultation Guidelines will be followed for any changes proposed by either FTs or the ICB.
To support delivery of the financial position in 2024/25, NHS England (NHSE) has required a number of ICBs to conduct review exercises (we assume this relates to your deep dive exercises question) into the financial sustainability and resilience of systems. Whilst we were not instructed to do so we did choose to voluntarily progress similar work locally, following the most recent NHSE specification for this. Generally, our agreed approach is to conduct such work using internal resources wherever possible. Approximately half the work for this review was performed via Internal Audit using existing resources, with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PWC) appointed following a competitive procurement process to review certain areas where additional independent expertise was required. The total additional cost of this review was £200k and the business case to approve this work was supported by both the Executive Committee and NHSE who need to approve any use of consultancy over £50k.
There is no expectation that the ICB will commission external partners to do any further review work at present. Other partner organisations within the ICS may choose to perform their own reviews or seek support externally as they are separate statutory bodies with their own governance processes. Any requests for external consultant support would require approval by NHSE if above £50k.
14 - Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) Self-Assessment
To provide the ICB Board with an overview of the NHS England EPRR annual core standards programme for 2024.
15 - Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust - improvement journey
Presentation on the day.
16 - Quality and Safety: Urgent Emergency Care
To provide the Board with an update on the ICB's monitoring of quality and safety in urgent and emergency departments.
17 - Elective Care Reform Package
Presentation on the day
12 - Questions from the public on non-agenda items
Questions received from the public on items on non-agenda items.
Question 1
"As the adoption of AI continues to shape the delivery of mental healthcare, what is the ICB’s approach to leveraging these tools to enhance outcomes, improve efficiency, and ensure equitable access to services? Additionally, if you are a third-party that is able to support the ICB's strategy and priorities, who would be the best person to contact regarding this matter in the first instance?"
Question 1 - response
We have appointed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) lead to help convene and direct our strategic approach and have developed and are implementing a regional AI advisory group to assist in the strategic development and implementation of AI opportunities, with supporting governance.
We are in the process of developing an AI framework and user guidance for the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) integrated care system, working with a range of stakeholders to create AI learning systems and processes
Where third parties have systems and solutions that are considered appropriate for deployment within the NENC region, we are working closing with Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria (HI NENC) and would encourage initial engagement through their Innovation Pipeline as an introductory step.
Question 2
"Which Board Member is responsible and accountable for GP Service's patient satisfaction within the area Tees Valley Area?"
Question 2 - response
We can confirm that Levi Buckley, Chief Delivery Officer, has senior responsibility for the oversight of general practice within the ICB, including the Tees Valley area. Locally this responsibility is delegated to the Local Delivery Teams.
While the ICB receives information on patient satisfaction surveys any concerns should be raised, in the first instance, with the relevant General Practice. If this does not address the concerns, then normal escalation route would be through the ICB complaints procedure.