NHS Services, Seven Days a Week Forum reaches a significant milestone
The NHS England NHS Services, Seven Days a Week Forum continues to progress at pace as it prepares to deliver its findings in the autumn. Monday 2nd September 2013 marked a significant milestone – key stakeholders gathered to consider the findings of its five workstreams, whose remit is to consider seven day a week provision in urgent & emergency care and diagnostics.
This special Forum meeting was Chaired by NHS England Director of Strategy Robert Harris and facilitated by Neil Betteridge, Patient and Public Adviser, Enhanced Recovery. The Forum members and workstreams were joined by a number of external stakeholders, including representatives of patients, the public and carers.
The aims of the day were to:
- Highlight the key findings of the Forum’s work streams;
- Invite new, additional stakeholders to give their views on the findings at a critical stage in the report’s development;
- Begin to merge the findings of the workstreams into a single clear message to take forward the NHS Services, Seven Days a Week programme to its next phase;
- Consider how, in light of the findings of the workstreams, the report fits into the ‘bigger picture’ and NHS England’s A Call to Action.
On 20 August, more than 30 patients’ organisations were represented in the NHS Services, Seven Days a Week Learning Exchange, featuring presentations from NHS Trusts who have successfully innovated to move from the traditional five day model to seven days.
On 12th September, NHS England will be holding an Annual General Meeting. NHS Services, Seven Days a Week will be a key theme. If you would like to join the NHS Services, Seven Days a Week discussion group at the AGM, please contact us at nhscb.sevendayservices@nhs.net
Look out for the next edition of this blog, which will outline the outcomes of the 2nd September Forum meeting and update on further developments in the programme, as NHS England and NHS Improving Quality finalise their plans for the next phase of the programme, to be delivered after the publication of the report. In addition, Sir Bruce Keogh was recently interviewed on camera on his views on NHS Services, Seven Days a Week, shortly to be posted on our NHS England website page.
We would be interested to hear your views on NHS Services, Seven Days a Week. Please contact us on nhscb.sevendayservices@nhs.net and join the Twitter conversation at #7DayServices.
Simon Bennett
Simon Bennett is Deputy Director Quality Framework Team at NHS England
Simon works across the clinical directorates of NHS England to ensure that a coherent, aligned and strategic approach is taken to improving quality in all five domains of the NHS Outcomes Framework. Simon has lead responsibility within NHS England for a range of quality ‘levers’, including NICE Quality Standards, Quality Accounts, the national clinical audit programme and clinical governance policy. He also leads NHS England’s programme of work on seven day services in the NHS.
Simon has worked in the NHS Commissioning Board/NHS England since January 2012. He has previously worked in the Department of Health, as well as in the Department of Trade and Industry and the Cabinet Office. He also spent several years seconded to a Strategic Health Authority.