Subject:		Sussex-Wide Winter Plan 2021/22
Date of Meeting:		13 October 2021
Report of:		Executive Lead, Strategy, Governance & Law
Contact Officer:	Name:	Giles Rossington	Tel:	01273 295514
	Email:	Giles.rossington@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected:		All

FOR GENERAL RELEASE

1.         PURPOSE OF REPORT AND POLICY CONTEXT

1.1 The purpose of this paper is to provide the Brighton and Hove Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee with an update on progress to date in relation to winter planning for 2021/22.

2.         RECOMMENDATIONS:    

2.1       The Brighton and Hove Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee are asked to review and comment on the Sussex-Wide Winter Plan 2021-22 Update.

3. CONTEXT/ BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3.1 The overall purpose of the winter plan is to ensure that the system is able to effectively manage the capacity and demand pressures anticipated during the Winter period. The Winter planning period covers the period October 2021 to 31 March 2022. The plan should ensure that the local systems remain resilient and are able to manage demand surge effectively, maintain patient safety and support delivery of the relevant business plan objectives and locally agreed system improvements during this period.

3.2 Health and care systems typically experience increased demand pressures during the winter months due to a number of factors including:

· Seasonal illnesses (e.g. flu, norovirus)

· Extreme weather (e.g. falls in icy conditions)

· Exacerbation of respiratory illnesses and a range of long term conditions due to cooler weather.

3.3 Adding to pressures in 2021/22 are Covid 19 and the need for the NHS to recover from previous waves of Covid, particularly in terms of addressing the backlog of elective procedures due to the cancellation of operations etc. when the health system was forced to concentrate resources on Covid outbreaks.

3.4       Health and care systems have been planning systemically for winter surge pressures for a number of years, and typically a key part of this process is assessing how well the previous year’s plans met demand, and using learning from this to inform the subsequent year’s planning. The HOSC will schedule an update report in Spring/Summer 2022 to better understand the success of the current winter plan and the lessons learnt for succeeding years.

4. ANALYSIS & CONSIDERATION OF ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS

4.1 Not relevant to this report for information.

5. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & CONSULTATION

5.1       None directly for this report. However, the Sussex-wide winter plan is a                           partnership endeavour, with input from partners across the system including                    the Local Authority, providers and commissioners.

6.         CONCLUSION

6.1 The purpose of this paper is to provide the Brighton and Hove Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee with an update on progress to date in relation to winter planning. The Brighton and Hove Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee are asked to review and comment on the Sussex-Wide Winter Plan 2021-22 Update.

7.         FINANCIAL & OTHER IMPLICATIONS:

Financial Implications:

7.1 There are none to this report for information.

Legal Implications:

7.2 There are no legal implications to this report.

Lawyer Consulted: Elizabeth Culbert Date: 01/10/21

Equalities Implications:

7.3 The aims of effective collaborative winter plan arrangements are to ensure that local health and care systems are able to continue to deliver the totality of services that have been developed to meet the needs of the local population which would be in line with agreed local and national strategies and priorities. An Equality Impact Assessment is not appropriate for this paper. Where services are further developed to support delivery during the winter period EIAs will be undertaken.

Sustainability Implications:

7.4 The Sussex-Wide winter plan considers how best to use NHS and local authority resources across Sussex in order to cope with seasonal demand surges for health and care services. Any negative carbon impacts of these plans (e.g. through people potentially having to travel further from home to access services where local capacity is stretched) need to be considered. However this needs to be balanced against the risks to individuals of not being able to access appropriate health or care.

Brexit Implications:

7.5 No direct implications identified. Brexit continues to have implications for the Sussex health and care workforce, and this is monitored as part of workforce planning.

Any Other Significant Implications:

7.6       None identified.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Appendices:

1.         B&H HOSC Sussex-wide Winter Plan 21-22 update

2.         Brighton & Hove Cold Weather Plan