National Advisory Committee for Neurological Conditions minutes: February 2020

Attendees and apologies

Attendees 

• Stephanie Fraser (Chair) (SF), Bobath Scotland
• Susan Walker (Deputy Chair) (SW), NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
• Dr Jenny Preston (Deputy Chair) (JP), NHS Ayrshire and Arran
• Becky Duff (BD), Neurological Alliance of Scotland
• Dr Callum Duncan (CD), Consultant Neurologist/ NHS Grampian
• Tanith Muller     (TM), Neurological Alliance of Scotland
• Gerard Gahagan (GG), SG – Clinical Priorities Policy
• Jemma McGuffie (JM), SG – Clinical Priorities Policy
• Jamie Cochrane (JC), SG – Modernising Patient Pathways Programme

Apologies

• Dr Richard Davenport (RD), National Clinical Lead/ NHS Lothian
• Anita Stewart (AS), SG – Clinical Priorities Policy
• Karen Auchincloss (KA), SG – Clinical Priorities Policy

Items and actions

1. Welcome, Introductions and Apologies

SF welcomed and apologies were noted as above. 

2. Review of previous minutes and actions 

The committee discussed the minutes of the previous meeting. There were no matters arising.  It was requested that every effort is made to ensure papers are sent a week in advance. 
SF asked for an update on actions.  The committee was informed of the actions completed and outstanding:

• Gordon Frame was invited to this meeting but was unable to attend so the Clinical Priorities Team will ask the SG Access Support team to share the information on neurology waiting times with the committee.  
• JM will re-circulate email with Declaration of Interest form attached to NACNC member who hadn’t completed and signed form.  
• GG had requested an update from the Atlas of Variation as the outcome of applications was due to be published by the end of January.  AoV have confirmed our application had been successful but they were only able to progress a single neurological condition in this round. The committee expressed concern that despite the Framework and standards being specifically pan-neurological they continue to be asked to identify only one condition for other pieces of work, which they did not feel comfortable with. 

3. Neuro Framework

The committee discussed the publication and launch of the Neuro Framework.  It was recognised that the event was well attended despite the unavoidable short notice and proximity to the festive holidays. 

It was suggested that the Scottish Access Collaborative Neurological Referral Triage Workshop in March will be well attended and therefore an ideal opportunity for clinicians to engage with the Framework. GG advised the committee that he has a ten-minute slot to deliver a presentation on the Framework at the Workshop. 

GG provided an update on feedback received regarding the Framework.  

The committee agreed that the implementation shouldn’t only focus on clinical neurology, and it has to encompass a whole spectrum of people who look after neurological conditions within health and social care. 

GG provided an update on the Framework’s early actions which included:

1. the NACNC Executive has agreed to meet monthly to regularly review and support progress against implementation of the early actions. 
2. The job descriptions for the regional lead roles are being refined to be less specific in order to attract a greater spread of knowledge and expertise.  The proposal is then to define responsibilities with those appointed.
3. SF and GG met with the Chief Officers Executive Group to discuss the implementation of the Framework, which was well received. GG will progress confirmation of actions with Health and Social Care Scotland.
4. GG also updated the committee on his and AS meeting with COSLA leads. 
5. GG provided an update on the Structured Conversations proposal. Discussion that while this was generally supported the committee felt it should not identify a specific condition, rather that it would be helpful to ask for wider notes of interest. This proposal could be communicated to the neurological community to allow appropriate notes of interest.  GG will refer back to Person Centred team for further exploration to consider how this is taken forward. 

4. Scottish Access Collaborative update

JC informed the committee of the workshop to be hosted under the Modernising Patient Pathways Programme, entitled.  Neurology Active Clinical Referral Triage (ACRT) Workshop – Opportunities, Best Practice and Pathways which will be held on the 4th of March 2020, from 9:30am until 4.30pm in the Hilton Hotel Dunblane Hydro in Dunblane. 

JC informed the committee of the setup and timings of the event and that the invitation to the workshop will be posted on the Knowledge Hub.  The committee agreed that it would be helpful to have access to the Hub. JC informed the committee that those interested can go to https://www.khub.net/ and set up an account (if they do not have one already) and then search for 'Neurology''. 

5. Membership of NACNC update

The Clinical Priorities team have approached the following to facilitate a representative for the committee:

• Chief Nursing Officer Division 
• Chief Officers (IJB)

Also a meeting with Iona Colvin (Chief Social Work Officer) is arranged to seek  appropriate leadership from this network.

6. Actions 

Please see Actions table below. 

7. Date/time and location of next meeting 

1:30pm – 3pm, Thursday, 14 May, 2020, A&B Baird, 5 Atlantic Quay, Glasgow

NACNC Actions 

No.	Action	For
1	SG Access Support team to share the information on neurology waiting times with the committee.	SG Access Support team
2	Circulate email with Declaration of Interest form attached to NACNC member who hadn’t completed and signed form.  JM emailed NACNC member who replied on 5 Feb 2020.	Jemma McGuffie
3	Follow up with the Atlas of Variation to confirm next steps.	Gerard Gahagan
4	Identify IJB representation and strategic planning through Health and Social Care Scotland.	Gerard Gahagan
5	Provide update on engagement with NHS inform at next NACNC meeting.	Gerard Gahagan
6	Provide update on engagement with SG data team around neurological data at next NACNC meeting.	Gerard Gahagan
7	Re-circulate Structured Conversations email and feedback received from the Committee to date to all members.  JM completed on 7 Feb 2020.	Jemma McGuffie