Frequently asked questions about our Sustainability and
Transformation Plan
1. What is a Sustainability and Transformation Plan?
All health and social care organisations in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES),
Swindon and Wiltshire are working together on a five-year sustainability and
transformation plan (STP). The aim is to improve our local population’s health and
wellbeing, to improve service quality and to deliver financial stability.
This joint approach will also help deliver the aims of the Five Year Forward View and is
in line with other important national guidance such as GP Forward View, Mental Health
Taskforce Report and National Maternity Review.
2. Why do we need to change the way we deliver services?
There are growing pressures on the health and care system, nationally and locally.
The proportion of older people is rising and there are more people living with complex
conditions. This is contributing to an increased demand for services.
Overall across B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire, the standard of health and care
services is very good compared to other areas in England.
But some challenges remain. Our hospital A&E departments are under pressure, in
some areas patients are waiting too long for GP appointments and there are gaps in
quality, with some parts of our region benefitting from better health and care services
than others. Additionally every part of the local health and care system is facing
growing financial challenges.
So we are working on a collective plan to drive greater efficiency and improvements in
quality across the health and care system. For services to be sustainable, we also
need to get better at preventing disease, not just treating it, and encourage everyone
to take responsibility to manage their own care.
3. Does our STP area mean our residents will be required to travel to Wiltshire
and Swindon for specialist health services, rather than Bristol?
No, this is not the intention of the STP. The STP is about looking for opportunities to
join up/connect local services as well as manage some services across a wider
geographical area. It is not about making access to these services inconvenient to
patients.
STP FAQ
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4. Who are we working with?
Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) will work
together to develop a single STP.
The emerging STP focuses on shared challenges and opportunities across the wider
geographical footprint. This is 'place-based' planning that is not limited by
organisational boundaries. The BSW health and social care system encompasses a
combined population of over 920,000 residents. The partner organisations within our
STP area include:
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BaNES, Wiltshire, Swindon CCGs including GP members
B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire Councils
Great Western, RUH and Salisbury Hospitals
Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP)
Sirona care and health
SEQOL
Wiltshire Health & Care
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT).
5. Who is leading the development of the Sustainability and Transformation
Plan for BSW?
James Scott, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust (RUH) Chief
Executive is leading the BSW STP as senior responsible officer.
6. We already have local plans that are right for our local population. How do
these fit with the STP?
The health and care needs of the STP population are diverse and we are developing a
joint approach that takes this into account. We will also ensure it aligns with individual
organisational plans and local Health & Wellbeing Board strategies.
7. Will our STP result in changes to our local NHS governance structure?
No – the local, statutory architecture for health and care remains, as do the existing
accountabilities for Chief Executives of provider organisations and Accountable
Officers/Chief Officers of CCGs.
STPs are about ensuring that organisations are able to work together at scale and
across communities to plan for the needs of their population, and help deliver the Five
Year Forward View.
STP FAQ
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8. How are the views of patients, carers and the wider public being taken in to
account?
Drawing on the experience of those that use health and care services will help us to
redesign services and to develop new models of care that are sustainable. We already
have considerable insight and information about the health and wellbeing needs of our
local population. An example for this is engagement for the your care, your way
community services review.
However, our STP is being developed collaboratively and we are committed to
ensuring the views of patients are taken into consideration. We are working closely
with Healthwatch and there are plans for a public stakeholder engagement event in
early autumn. Updates and any further opportunities to get involved will be posted on
partner organisation websites.
9. What next for our STP?
We do not have an established relationship across all health and care organisations in
B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire, unlike other STP areas, so we are at an early stage of
development.
We share our outline proposals for the next five years with NHS England at the end of
June. Over the coming months, we will strengthen our governance structure and
continue to develop a robust STP. This will enable us to qualify for additional funding
through the Sustainability and Transformation Fund from 2017/18 onwards, to help
deliver our plans.
Please visit www.bathandnortheastsomersetccg.nhs.uk/get-involved for further
updates about our STP or email [email protected] with any queries.
STP FAQ
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