Hightown and Freshfield Primary Care Medical Services Engagement Plan

HIGHTOWN AND FRESHFIELD PRIMARY CARE MEDICAL SERVICES

ENGAGEMENT PLAN

Purpose of this Document

This document outlines the engagement plan for primary care medical services in Hightown and Freshfield, commissioned by NHS England working in collaboration with NHS South Sefton and NHS Southport & Formby Clinical Commissioning Groups. Specifically, it outlines the plan to communicate proactively and engage with patients, staff and stakeholders about securing high quality, sustainable primary care medical services for Hightown and Freshfield.

CONTENTS Page No

1. Introduction 3 2. Objectives 3 3. Aim of the Plan 3 4. Audiences 4 5. Communication Channels 5 6. Roles and responsibilities 5 7. Timings and key milestones for Communication and 6 Engagement

NHS England North (Cheshire & Merseyside) NHS South Sefton and Southport & Formby Regatta Place Clinical Commissioning Groups Summers Road 3rd Floor Brunswick Business Park Merton House Liverpool Stanley Road L3 4BL Bootle L20 3DL

Tel: 0151 285 4777 Tel: 0151 247 7000

1. INTRODUCTION

NHS England North (Cheshire and Merseyside), as commissioner of primary care services, is planning to engage with patients from Hightown Village Surgery and Freshfield Surgery - and their wider communities - as part of an engagement exercise to consider how best to secure high quality and sustainable primary care medical services for patients in those areas.

NHS England, in conjunction with NHS South Sefton and NHS Southport & Formby Clinical Commissioning Groups, is carrying out a review and options exercise for the long-term future of these practices and will involve registered patients and the wider community in developing and finalising options for consideration.

This plan sets out the strategy and activities for undertaking engagement activity.

Views received during the commissioner-led engagement will inform the development of any forward proposals. If appropriate, a separate plan will be developed to support formal consultation.

2. OBJECTIVES

Our objective is to ensure patients, patient and public representatives, staff, clinical commissioning groups, and other stakeholders are involved in the development of proposals to determine the long-term future of Hightown Village Surgery and Freshfield Surgery.

The activities outlined in this plan aim to inform and engage with patients of both GP practices listed above as well as local stakeholders, elected members, MPs, patient groups, voluntary organisations and the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC), ensuring an appropriate level of scrutiny.

Commissioners will consider:

 support for proposals from GP clinical commissioners;  strength of public and patient engagement;  clarity on the clinical evidence base; and  consistency with current and prospective patient choice.

3. AIM OF THE PLAN

The overall aim is to ensure that all patients and key stakeholders are provided with every opportunity to engage and contribute to the options for consideration, that the process is inclusive and they are kept fully informed during the process, ensuring that:

1. There is an opportunity for patient and clinical representatives to influence proposals at a formative stage 2. All patients, staff and wider stakeholders fully understand what is happening when, know how to share their views and are kept abreast of progress. 3. All patients, staff and wider stakeholders know where to go for further information or with concerns.

4. AUDIENCES

Partners

Key stakeholders with whom the decision NHS England Cheshire & Merseyside. makers will work in partnership to help to NHS South Sefton CCG and NHS deliver the engagement activity. Southport & Formby CCG.

Involve and Engage

Stakeholders who will need to be actively Patients of Hightown Village Surgery. involved and engaged on the programme. Patients of Freshfield Surgery. GP Interim Providers. GP practice staff in Hightown and Freshfield. Members of the local community with an interest in either practice. Sefton Council: Leader; Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing; ward councilors; officers; members of the Health Overview Scrutiny Committee and Public Consultation and Engagement Panel. Health and Wellbeing Board. Patient representative groups. Practice Patient Participation Groups Sefton Healthwatch. Sefton CVS. Third sector/voluntary organisations. MPs. Sefton CCG Engagement and Patient Experience Group. Hightown Parish Council. Formby Parish Council.

Inform Stakeholders who need to be aware of the Media. engagement, kept informed of the main Sefton Local Medical Committee. developments, and have an opportunity to respond.

5. COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

Targeted communications

Targeted information will be developed for key audiences. This will include letters to patients and stakeholders and briefings to all relevant groups/audiences, opportunities to share views online and by letter/email and using social media. We will also work with local media channels to ensure the wider community is kept informed of progress.

Established printed, electronic and face-to-face channels within partner organisations

Communication leads at the organisations involved will support the communications with staff using established internal and external channels.

Meetings and events

A programme of events will be organised as part of the commissioner-led engagement and wider consultation process. This will include targeted events for patients held in local venues, at different times of the day, to ensure people have the opportunity to attend them if they have other commitments, for example if they work.

6. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Engagement will be led jointly by NHS England and NHS South Sefton and NHS Southport & Formby CCGs.

On behalf of NHS England North (Cheshire and Merseyside), Leah Maguire, NHS England Communications Hub (North) and Lyn Cooke, NHS South Sefton and Southport & Formby CCGs will be the lead for communications relating to the commissioner-led engagement process. NHS England will liaise with communications professionals to ensure a clear, consistent and co-ordinated approach to all consultation and engagement activities.

NHS England and Clinical Commissioning Groups

NHS England and NHS South Sefton and NHS Southport & Formby CCGs are leading the commissioner-led engagement process.

A Task and Finish Group has been established to agree and oversee the process. This group will be chaired by a local senior GP Clinical Leader.

 All plans will be submitted for scrutiny by the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee in Sefton.

 Decisions on the final options and recommendations will be made by NHS England and the Clinical Commissioning Groups.

7. TIMINGS AND KEY MILESTONES FOR COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT

PHASE ONE – Project Initiation PHASE TWO – Launch of PHASE THREE – Preparation for commissioner led engagement formal consultation Sept 2016 - March 2017 (initial with patients and wider timings which are subject to stakeholders change as determined by the process). April 2017 – May 2017 (initial June 2017 – September 2017 timings which are subject to (initial timings which are subject change as determined by the to change as determined by the process). process).

 Undertake stakeholder  Launch commissioner-led The following activities will be mapping and database engagement period with undertaken/completed if is development to ensure all written invite to patients and determined to move forward to interested parties have the wider stakeholders to get consultation: opportunity to be involved involved and media/social in engagement exercise. media announcement.  Undertake four-tests  Map patient involvement to  Hold two events for patients analysis. date, undertake a gap and wider stakeholders in  Undertake full review of analysis. each locality. patient/stakeholder  Establish a Task & Finish  Continue to promote the engagement feedback, Group as accountable phone line and email as an equality impact group for the process of alternative means for patients assessments, all other developing of a final and wider stakeholders to impact assessments, audits options appraisal share their views and reports.  Disseminate early  Seek views via social media,  Recommend final options communication to all particularly to secure views for formal consultation. patients to prepare for from young people who may  Develop draft consultation engagement phase. not attend events document and  Disseminate early  Offer stakeholder meetings. questionnaire. communication to wider  Discuss and seek views on  Share draft consultation and stakeholders to prepare for emerging proposals/preferred seek relevant approvals to engagement phase. options and planned proceed to consultation.  Establish helpline and engagement and consultation  Develop consultation plan. e-mail address to manage activities with broader group  Proceed to formal patient and wider of commissioners. consultation process. stakeholder enquiries.  Discuss and seek views on  Prepare equality impact emerging proposals/preferred assessments. options and planned  Draft communication and engagement and consultation engagement plan. activities with stakeholders  Develop a log of (HOSC/HealthWatch/patient engagement activities and support groups, third sector feedback that will provide a organisations etc). single source of information  Ensure patients with (to be regularly maintained protected characteristics are with input from involved, ie through carers commissioners).  Engage and inform patients  Hold initial, informal and wider stakeholders on discussions with the emerging proposals that stakeholders including will be taken forward if Sefton Council (Officers, proceeding to consultation leadership, HOSC, Health and repeat wider clinical and Wellbeing Board), discussions. parish councils,  Ensure continuity of HealthWatch and patient communications during this participation groups. phase of the process  Following initial discussions  Continue meetings with with stakeholders confirm patient representatives. programme plan, i.e. initial dates for engagement discussions.

 Prepare stakeholder communications to support launch of commissioner-led engagement exercise.  Identify process for engaging with patients with protected characteristics.