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A message from Sir David Nicholson: Joint Provider Committee

November 10, 2023

A message from Sir David Nicholson, Chair:

Dear colleagues,

I just wanted to let you know of some developments that we are introducing across the Black Country. This will see the creation of a new Joint Provider Committee (JPC) which has been set up to strengthen the collaborative work of the four providers across the Black Country.

The committee, which includes Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, will be chaired by myself with support of the three chief executives and deputy chairs of the four organisations listed below:

  • Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust: Deputy Chair, Lesley Writtle and Chief Executive, Richard Beeken
  • The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust: Deputy Chair, Gary Crowe and Chief Executive, Diane Wake
  • The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust: Deputy Chair, John Dunn and Chief Executive, Professor David Loughton CBE
  • Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust; Deputy Chair, Paul Assinder and Chief Executive, Professor David Loughton CBE

Our aim for the committee will be to do the following:

  1. Governance and assurance of the work plan of the Black Country Provider Collaborative
  2. Take delegated responsibility from Black Country Integrated Care Board (BC ICB) for the things such as maternity, elective care, urgent care, diagnostics
  3. Oversee key strategic areas of joint interest such as major projects.

The creation of the joint committee will build on the existing relationships and strong partnership working that has been fostered since all providers have been collaborating more effectively since COVID. This work has helped to see the acceleration of clinical transformation across a number of our services, delivering better performance across the four organisations and reducing health inequalities so all of our patients have the same level of high quality care.

A collaboration agreement has been approved by the four Trust boards, this sets out how the committee intends to work together, creating a single agreed vision, with a set of objectives, priorities and principles.

This new committee is designed to enhance the integrated way of working that has already started to realise benefits for all four trusts. The four organisations will still operate independently with the same leadership and management structures. It will not override the existing statutory requirements / duties of the four organisations, change or replace any existing service contracts.

I will continue to provide further updates on the progress we are making in due course.

Sir David Nicholson, Chair