The Sub-Committee received a report that provided an update on progress towards recovering elective care and outpatient services at the Royal London Hospital and Barts Health NHS Trust. It also covered the urgent response to dental provision in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.  A summary of the questions and feedback provided to Members is outlined below:

The Sub-Committee:

v  Recognises that the impact of coronavirus has been unprecedented. And the Royal London Hospital and Barts Health NHS Trust now face another unique challenge with a resurgence of Covid-19 cases - just as the Trust are restoring planned care to previous levels, and as the usual seasonal pressures begin to bite. The Royal London Hospital and Barts Health NHS Trust staff have responded incredibly well to these challenges.

v  Commented that the pandemic is not just a medical phenomenon the restrictive measures undoubtedly have affected the social and mental health of individuals and the community causing disruption, anxiety, and stress.

v  Welcomed the offer by Royal London Hospital and Barts Health NHS Trust to investigate individual experiences of outpatients with particular reference to those awaiting treatment for adult and paediatric eye conditions.

v  Noted that a few months ago or pre pandemic the Royal London Hospital and Barts Health NHS Trust would expect every single patient to be offered an individual appointment. The challenge now with outpatients is that some of the clinics are now virtual and because the Trust moved to virtual very, very quickly during the pandemic and has yet to catch up with the different ways of working. It is a big piece of work to make sure that the Trust can offer patients appropriate face to face; telephone; virtual or whatever they require. However, the expectation, is that every patient ideally should have an individual appointment.

v  Observed that most long-waiting patients on the surgical waiting list will have agreed to undergo operative treatment before the coronavirus pandemic started. Many people’s circumstances may have changed because of the pandemic or other factors since then, and some patients may now have changed their minds about having surgery or wish to defer this until the pandemic is over. Similarly, some people’s condition may have changed, which they may not have wanted to inform their GP or specialist about.  Such patients are categorised under the P5 category, and its introduction will allow the Trust to view the waiting list including and excluding those patients listed as a P5.

v  Understood that as patients in the P5 category have deferred rather than declined treatment, they must not be discharged back to their GP, unless this is in their clinical interest and has been agreed by them following a conversation with their clinician.  Patients are given a review date to make sure their condition or preference has not changed. The maximum time before a review date is six months. Where a patient has been clinically prioritised for treatment in less than six months’ time, the review date and clinical prioritisation will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6