Main Report of the National Review of Primary Care Out of Hours Services

4 Engagement and Consultation

Engagement Programme

The Review sought evidence from a wide variety of sources.

Board Area Visits

Engagement with all territorial Health Boards and associated Integrated Joint Boards was regarded as a core part of the Review process. Each territorial Health Board area was visited by the Review Chair (twice in the case of NHS Highlands, at different locations). These meetings included discussions with health, social care and third sector colleagues, with front-line clinical and support staff, with public representatives, as well as visiting OOH services in operation. Figure 4.1 provides a map of the visitation programme.

Prior to visiting each Board area, a summary report was requested on the status and issues for OOH services in their area. These reports were discussed during the visitation programme.

During the course of the Review, the Chair also visited:

Co-located NHS 24, Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) and GP OOH administrative centres at Cardonald, Glasgow; co-located NHS 24 and SAS centres at South Queensferry; co-located NHS 24, OOH and A&E services in Aberdeen; co-located NHS 24, SAS and Highland Hub facilities in Inverness. Visits also took place to: Scottish Prison Grampian and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Station at Maud, Aberdeenshire.

Special Board and Public Body Visits

In addition, the Review Chair held discussions with senior managers, including Non-Executive Directors, of the following Special Health Boards/Bodies to discuss their role in supporting the future of OOH and urgent care in Scotland: Healthcare Improvement Scotland, NHS Education Scotland, NHS 24, the Scottish Ambulance Service and National Services Scotland. NHS Health Scotland provided specific advice on health inequalities.

Figure 4.1 - National Engagement Programme - visits and dates

Public Discussion Groups

The Review commissioned the Scottish Health Council to run public participation events in all Health Board areas across Scotland. These took place on all Board areas in Scotland with the exception of Orkney. A collated report of findings was subsequently prepared by the Scottish Health Council and submitted to the Review.

That report is now available on the website of the Scottish Health Council:

Website and Press Releases

Website: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Health/Services/nrpcooh and email addresses: (OutofHoursReview@scotland.gsi.gov.uk) were established in order that members of the public and other interested parties could submit their views and issues to the Review. The OOH website and email address were publicised in a number of press releases.

Wider Consultation

Opportunities were actively sought for wider engagement with all stakeholders as part of the Review process.

A number of workshops took place during the course of the Review to inform its deliberations.

A national consultation event was held at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh in September 2015, with an invited audience from health, social care and partnership colleagues. This event discussed the progress of the Review to date, preliminary findings, and sought assistance with the further shaping of the Review.

The Review Chair met the Chair of the Health and Sport Committee of the Scottish Parliament in June 2015, who kindly sponsored a meeting with members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) in September 2015, in order to discuss the progress of the Review and to seek MSP input.

The Review Chair also corresponded with all Scottish Members of the UK Parliament (MPs), inviting their specific contributions and input to the Review.

The Review team and a small delegation from the Scottish Ambulance Service also undertook a fact finding visit to the Exeter base of the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT), which is responsible for the operation of all ambulance, NHS 111 and primary care OOH services in South West England.

Discussions were also held and information sought about the services run by Derbyshire Health United which is responsible for the operation of the NHS 111 and primary care OOH services in Derbyshire.

Further discussions were held with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), to determine their potential engagement in the development and delivery of future OOH and urgent care services in Scotland.

Interfaces

There are a range of Scottish Government groups currently involved in reviewing and seeking to improve health care services care which the Review took cognisance of in its work. The following list is not exhaustive but represents some relevant initiatives underway:

• Sustainability and Seven Day Services
• National Unscheduled Care Programme
• Local Unscheduled Care Action Plans
• Health and Social Care Integration
• Chief Nursing Officer's Reviews of Advanced Nurse Practitioners and District Nursing
• Primary Care Leads
• Primary Care Strategic Forum
• Prescription for Excellence
• National Clinical Strategy
• Nursing and Midwifery Strategic Aims
• Public Health Review

The Review tried to take account of these interfaces. The Review Group membership included: Scottish Government leads of the Task Force on Sustainability and Seven Day Services and the National Unscheduled Care Programme. There were also membership linkages with the Prescription for Excellence Programme and the Public Health Review. Connections and relationships were made in relation to health and social care integration colleagues, with the Primary Care Leads and OOH National Operations Groups. The Review Chair also held informal meetings with the lead officer for the National Clinical Strategy.

The process and interim progress of the Review was presented at a number of committees, groups and workshops including: Scottish Government National Committees, NHS National Executive Directors, Integrated Joint Board Chief Officers Group, a COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) sponsored workshop on OOH services, and discussion with other relevant national committees/bodies, including Scottish Care. The Chair engaged proactively with the third sector and attended a gathering of a range of third sector organisations, hosted by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland was also very supportive throughout and convened workshop activities, on behalf of the Review.

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