Day 34 Difficult Conversations

Contract review meetings with main acute hospital provider today, including difficult conversations about areas where they’ve provided services to patients above contracted quantity.  We have limited resources to pay beyond the contracted levels.  Further discussion to be had with the Trust and at our Board meeting next week.

The Trust and CCG are continuing to work to help patients access the right services; particularly ‘unplanned’ care.  This is an area where patients have different options and A&E is not always the best place for them.  Our ‘Is A&E For Me?’ Campaign aims to help inform better decisions about self-care, seeking advice and using services like community pharmacy, GP out of hours, 111 and where appropriate, A&E.