Good progress continues to be made on the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT) collaborative programme. 

The Board of each of the WYAAT trusts agreed to form a Committee in Common (CIC) which is responsible for leading the joint work programme and the development of workstreams within the programme. The Chief Executive and Chair from each trust are members of the Committee in Common.

Each workstream has a number of projects underneath supported by a lead Chief Executive from one of the six trusts. The projects put together a case for change that sets out how things are done now, what good or best practice is, how things need to change and the risks and benefits associated with this change. The cases for change are considered by the Committee in Common before being recommended to each of the individual trust boards for approval.

The Committee In Common met last on 10 August, and the Chief Executives of the six trusts met most recently on 5 September.  Key developments are:

Procurement: work between the WYAAT trusts on procurement has delivered savings of around £500k so far. 

Pharmacy:  WYAAT’s supply chain programme is being held up as a national exemplar and was recently approved by the WYAAT Committee in Common to move into the procurement phase.

IM&T: WYAAT trusts are already implementing a common PACS system in Radiology and are also exploring the potential for common IT systems in pathology.  Business cases for collaboration on Microsoft licensing, email systems and cybersecurity are also being developed.

Workforce:  the WYAAT CEOs recognise the importance of thinking as a single employer across the region, and discussed the potential to collaborate to standardise workforce policies and processes.  This work will include streamlining a number of areas such as recruitment checks, statutory and mandatory training, and job planning principles for the medical workforce. 

The Elective Surgery and Vascular Services work programmes are gathering pace, with a GIRFT summit planned for 9 October around Elective Surgery.

Stakeholder engagement: a workshop is being developed for governors and lay committee members about WYAAT and the WYH STP, their vision, how they work and how governors and lay representatives can support them.  For more information please contact Victoria Pickles, Company Secretary at Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust on 01484 355933 victoria.pickles@cht.nhs.uk.