Publications and Advice

In addition to the East of England Clinical Senate publications listed below, the National Clinical Senates Advice and Review Log provides access to all the reviews and recommendations published by the 9 Clinical Senates across England since their inception in 2013. 

This includes a search function which can be used to find reviews based on one or more of the following:

      • The Clinical Senate which undertook the work
      • The type of work completed (e.g. clinical review or advice)
      • The types of service e.g. ‘stroke’, ‘urgent and emergency care’, ‘acute reconfiguration

Independent Clinical Review Panel Reports 

2023

Joint Strategic Board - Cambridge Children's Hospital - December 2023

Although the proposals for a specialist Children’s Hospital in Cambridge (CCH) do not constitute a significant variation in service provision from an NHS England assurance perspective, the Clinical Senate Council welcomed the opportunity to provide the Project Team with independent advice and feedback.

Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board - December 2023

Clinical Senate Council undertook an Independent Review of the local Clinical Governance and Assurance Processes relating to the Pre-Consultation Business Case for the Future Configuration of Intermediate Care and Stroke Rehabilitation Community Beds, the location of the freestanding Maternity Led Birthing Unit and the transfer of residual Ambulatory Services from the St Peter’s Hospital site in Maldon. 

Proactive Project - Virtual Ward Task and Finish Group Outcomes Report (Dec 2023)

In response to an approach from the Regional Virtual Ward Team to support their work and following a presentation to Senate Council in June 2022, a Virtual Wards Task and Finish Group was established to bring together opinion from clinicians and experts by experience to develop a Virtual Wards checklist for consideration when undertaking Clinical Reviews.  

2022

Norfolk & Waveney ICS Clinical Strategy (2022-2027) - August 2022

The East of England Clinical Senate undertook a desktop Independent Clinical Review to provide early-stage advice and an objective appraisal of the Norfolk & Waveney ICS/ICB System (N&W) Clinical Strategy, to be used in the further development of major transformational programmes of work.


Mid and South Essex Health and Care Partnership: Community Inpatient Beds - April 2022

The Clinical Senate supported Mid and South Essex Health and Care Partnership by providing independent clinical advice on their proposals for the future configuration of community inpatient beds resulting from the urgent service changes made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The programme is focused on community beds and has three distinct strands: intermediate care, stroke rehabilitation and sub-acute frailty.

Proactive Project - June 2022 Health Inequalities Workshop Outcomes Report 

The East of England Clinical Senate invited clinicians from across the region to attend a workshop to learn about health inequalities from a national and regional perspective, the five key Core20PLUS5 (Adults) areas of health inequality, and how health inequalities can be improved in the East of England.  This discussion forum was aimed at raising awareness, exchanging ideas and experiences to increase understanding of existing disparities, and to explore how healthcare could be targeted and delivered more effectively in five key clinical areas: 

    • Early Cancer Diagnosis
    • Chronic Respiratory Disease
    • Annual Health Checks for people with Severe Mental Health Issues
    • Maternity & Perinatal Care
    • Cardiovascular Disease

The presentations from the workshop can be downloaded here:

Helen Cliffe: A focussed approach to tackling health inequalities on behalf of the National Healthcare Inequalities Team National Core20PLUS5 

Denise Darrell, Health Inequalities Operational Lead: Regional Health Inequalities

Dr Geetinder Kaur, Consultant, Healthcare Public Health: Regional Inclusive Recovery

Mount Vernon Cancer Center Radiotherapy Reprovision - April 2022

The East of England and London Clinical Senates were delighted to support the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC) with a Joint Independent Clinical Review of their proposals for radiotherapy reprovision.

The purpose of this clinical review was to consider the proposed reprovision of networked radiotherapy services from the current MVCC site to West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust (Watford) site, with an additional, networked radiotherapy service being provided either on the Lister Hospital site in Stevenage (East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust (ENHT)), or the Luton Hospital site (Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BHT)).

 

2021

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - October 2021

The Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BHFT) asked the East of England Clinical Senate to undertake an early stage review of its proposals for a change in vascular hub location within Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The Panel made several recommendations for the Trust to consider as they move to further development and implement the proposal.

Mount Vernon Cancer Centre - June 2021

The Clinical Senate undertook an Independent Clinical Review of a proposal for a revised clinical model for Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC) Services with reprovision on an acute hospital site. 

2020

Proactive Projects: The Regional COVID-19 Pandemic Response and System Learning:

'Adopt, Adapt, Abandon' Report - July 2020

Clinical Senate Council reflected on "What have we learned about how health care can be delivered during the last twelve weeks?" 

Ethical Considerations - December 2020

Clinical Senate Council, together with regional experts, considered the Ethical considerations for the transfer of both critically ill emergency care pathway patients and patients needing urgent elective treatment, from one hospital or one region to another for treatment.

Suffolk Mental Health Alliance: Mental Health and Wellbeing Services in East & West Suffolk - November 2020

The East of England Clinical Senate undertook a review for the Suffolk Mental Health Alliance in December 2019 on its high-level proposals for mental health and emotional wellbeing services in East and West Suffolk.  (Please see the Clinical Senate’s 2019 Review Panel Report for detailed background.)  

Since the 2019 review, the Alliance has developed its proposals for service changes and sought a further review from Clinical Senate on the more advanced and detailed proposals. 

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust - September 2020

The Clinical Senate was asked to review the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust (WHHT) plans for investment in their estate; recognising the potentially detrimental impact on the delivery of safe, effective, responsive and efficient care resulting from the existing environment and three-site model (Watford General Hospital, St Albans City Hospital and Hemel Hempstead Hospital). 

2019

Suffolk Mental Health Alliance: Mental Health and Wellbeing Serivces in East & West Suffolk - December 2019

The Clinical Senate supported the Suffolk Mental Health Alliance in the early phase of their development of plans for mental health services for East and West Suffolk with an independent clinical review panel.

The Alliance is made up of NHS Trusts, Community Services, Primary Care, Clinical Commissioning Groups, Social Care services, Third Sector providers, Charities, and patient and community support groups.

East Suffolk & North Essex NHS Foundation Trust - September 2019

The East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) requested a review of its proposals to improve patient pathways and develop a single Elective Orthopaedic Care Centre (EOCC).

2018

Mid & South Essex STP

December 2018: Emergency General Surgery The proposals for emergency general surgery, focussing on those elements delivered in full or in part at Basildon Hospital as part of the clinical services provided by the three main hospitals within the STP footprint – Basildon & Thurrock University Hospitals NHS FT, Southend University Hospital FT and Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust (Broomfield Hospital).  

April 2018: Acute Services (incl. General Surgery follow-up review panel May 2018) - MSE STP refined its proposals for reconfiguration of acute hospital services to improve care for people in mid and south Essex and is ready to proceed to a ‘Stage 2’ Assurance Check. The scope of this clinical review panel was  on acute reconfiguration options which included the following services: urgent and emergency care (including treat and transfer); vascular services; general surgery; trauma & orthopaedic surgery; respiratory services; cardiology services; urology; gynaecology surgery and renal medicine.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust - November 2018

The East of England Clinical Senate was approached by Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust (PAH)  to undertake a review for proposals for an out of hospital model as part of new build hospital proposals on the Princess Alexandra Hospital site in Harlow.

Please note that publication of the Senate's Report has been long-delayed and the Trust's early stage plans have developed significantly in the interim.

Herts Valley Clinical Commissioning Group - May 2018

The Clinical Senate undertook a retrospective review of the actions taken by Herts Valley Clinical Commissioning Group (HVCCG) following some concerns from the local acute Trust and some GPs in respect of the community 24-hour Electrocardiogram (ECG) and Echocardiogram (Echo) service.

South West Clinical Senate Recommendations - Fitness for Surgery (May 2018)

South West Clinical Senate Council considered weight loss and smoking cessation criteria to improve surgical outcomes.

2017

United Lincolnshire Hospital NHS Trust - November 2017

The  Clinical Senate was approached by NHS England on behalf of NHS Improvement to undertake a safety review of proposals by the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) to re-open the Accident and Emergency Department at Grantham and District Hospital, 24 hours seven days a week.

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust (CHUFT) & The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust (IHT) - November 2017

Review of the Outline Business Case for the Partnership between Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust and The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

Mid & South Essex STP

September & October 2017: (17 October 2017 Report to be read in conjunction with 18 September 2017 Report)

The September 2017 panel broadly supported the STP’s revised proposals across a range of pathways. However, some concerns were expressed over the STP’s proposals for stroke services; specifically, the panel concluded that although it supported the proposal to establish a single Hyper Acute Stroke Unit (HASU) for the 1.2m population of the STP, it noted that, based on the evidence presented to the panel, “there was insufficient evidence to include stroke services in the… treat and transfer model”. A further panel considered the evidence provided by the STP team to support its proposed model for stroke services. 

South Essex & North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trusts - February 2017

The Clinical Senate was asked to provide independent clinical advice regarding the key supporting principles and the early stages of the development of transformed patient pathways, services and service delivery for the new proposed single mental health provider. At the time of our independent clinical review panel the two main Trusts delivering Mental Health Services in Essex, SEPT and NEPFT were at an advanced stage of working towards a possible merger.

2016

NHS England Midlands and East (East) Specialised Commissioning - July 2016

Proposal for the siting of Positron Emission Tomography – Computed Tomography (PET – CT) in South Essex and the clinical case for change.

Mid and South Essex Success Regime (MSESR)

The Essex Success Regime is one of three such programmes in the country. The Success Regime is part of the Five Year Forward View, the blueprint for the NHS to take decisive steps to secure high quality, joined up care. It set out the challenges facing health and care nationally and how radical change is needed to sustain services into the future and improve care for patients. 

June 2016:  The panel reviewed proposals for Urgent and Emergency Care, Women’s (services), Paediatrics and Elective and Emergency Surgery, recognising that, in addition, there were strong interdependencies between acute clinical reconfiguration and other initiatives in the overall programme, particularly the Frailty pathway.

October 2016: Review of acute reconfiguration options only, including a) Emergency medicine [front door, emergency surgery and inpatient services], b) Elective surgery [all types], c) Paediatrics and d) Women’s services (maternity and gynaecology).

Peterborough & Stamford Hospitals Foundation Trust and Hinchingbrooke Health Care Trust - October 2016

Independent clinical review of the clinical proposals described within the full business case for the proposed merger between Peterborough and Stamford Hospital Foundation Trust (PSHFT) and Hinchingbrooke Health Care Trust (HHCT).

2015

West Hertfordshire Health and Care System (Herts Valley CCG) - July 2015

Your Care, Your Future,Working together for a Healthier West Herts.  The clinical review panel looked at the early outline proposal for the provision of sustainable health and social care in West Hertfordshire, in the context of the Five Year Forward View.

NHS England Midlands and East (East) Specialised Commissioning - May 2015

Report of the clinical review panel on proposals for Paediatric Rheumatology services in the East of England

Great Yarmouth and Waveney CCG ‘ Shape of the System’ - March 2015

The Clinical Senate was approached by the Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to provide independent clinical advice on whether elements of its case for change will safely deliver improved clinical benefits .  Specifically looking at the CCG’s plans for community hubs and out of hospital teams across the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area. Alongside this the panel was asked to look at plans to redesign urgent care services for the area.

Annual Reports

The extended period covered by the April 2019 - December 2022 Annual Report is a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when the Clinical Senate's work was formally suspended and staff were redeployed to support NHS England’s response.

East of England Clinical Senate Project Reports

March 2017:  Addressing the Obesity Challenge in the East of England 

A Public Health England report prepared for the East of England Clinical Senate Assembly meeting on 15 March 2017.

January 2017:  Interventional Radiology in the East of England: The Role of Networks

The East of England Clinical Senate was asked by the East of England Medical Directors Forum Chair if it could assist in progressing the issue of Interventional Radiology service provision. It was agreed that a working group be established which was tasked in the first instance to determine the variation in provision across the region, how this compared with best practice and national guidance and to develop some high level recommendations.

November 2015: Readiness of NHS Acute Trusts to deliver Standard 8 of the National Seven Day Services Clinical Standards in the East of England

This project was delivered by the East of England Clinical Senate and Public Health England working in collaboration with NHS Acute Trusts.
 

Supporting Information for East of England Clinical Senate Review Panel Members

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