Chief Executive of West Gloucestershire PCT, Stephen Golledge said:

“It’s important that we plan effectively for the future and we recognise that services provided by Community Hospitals in Cinderford and Lydney will be crucial to meeting the health needs of patients in the Forest of Dean.”

“An integral part of our vision is to increase the availability of healthcare services in the Forest, reducing the need to travel to Gloucester for treatments that we can deliver more locally. We need to ensure that healthcare in the Forest doesn’t stand still and together secure the future for the delivery of a broad range of local services from purpose built facilities in the Forest.”

“Providing services which allow as many people as possible to be treated locally, where appropriate has come through very strongly in the feedback we have received. We have made the decision to communicate the benefits criteria as widely as possible as a large number of local people have played their part in its development and it also reflects our commitment to an open, transparent and objective review.”

Key aspects of the benefits criteria:

Criteria

1. Having modern facilities which will provide the maximum privacy and dignity, a therapeutic environment and safety for patients, carers and staff.


Supporting Information includes:

• There should be sufficient space for privacy in consultation/waiting areas/treatment areas at all stages in the patient’s care
• The facility (including the external environment) should be ‘pleasant’ and therapeutic
• There would be an increased number of single bedded rooms.
  
  

Criteria

2. Providing services which allow as many people as possible to be treated locally, where appropriate

Supporting Information includes:

• It will enable an increased number of services to be provided locally which are currently provided at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
• Services should be physically accessible to all users and particularly those with mobility impairment
  
  

Criteria

3. Having premises which are flexible enough to contract or expand to meet current and future service requirements and which can support new ways of working

Supporting Information includes:

• Any facility should be capable of meeting future service demand including transfer of services from Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
• It will support the development of new and/or extended services

Criteria

4. Creating an environment which enables health and social services staff to work together to provide better treatment and care for the patient

Supporting Information includes:

• There will be suitable provision made to encourage the appropriate shared use of facilities by health, social services and other staff e.g. training facilities, social/dining areas

Criteria

5. Having buildings that meet environmental and energy efficiency requirements

Supporting Information includes:

• The buildings should meet all statutory environmental and energy efficiency requirements

Criteria

6. Keeping the strong links with the community – a ‘local’ ownership

Supporting Information includes:

• The facility reflects the local heritage and history of the area
• The facility provides easy access to the majority of core services used by the local population
• The facility offers the opportunity for partnership working with a wide range of appropriate groups and voluntary bodies.

Criteria

7. Ease of implementation (including planning restrictions and disruption to local services)

Supporting Information includes:

• The option should be achievable within a reasonable planning timescale
• Any disruption to services should be manageable or acceptable.

Criteria

8. Capable of supporting the on-going training and development of staff and enabling the recruitment and retention of the workforce

Supporting Information includes:

• Services should be provided out of modern premises and be regarded as Centres of Excellence by staff and service users
• There should be appropriate facilities for the ongoing training and development of staff.
  

The emphasis of the review is now on exploring in detail which community healthcare services should be provided in the Forest of Dean for the benefit of the whole population. This is a piece of work local people and staff will be fully involved in. The identification and planning of services needs to be completed before any firm judgements can be made on how buildings should develop.

Stephen Golledge added:

“There are no preferred options for the future of community healthcare services and for the North Forest, redevelopment of Dilke Memorial Hospital on its existing site remains one of our options. Our primary objective in this review is to ensure that patients in the Forest have access to the widest possible range of services as close to home as possible. Detailed service options will be drawn up at the end of October to support a three month public and staff consultation.”

The PCT has already published a short list of broad options for the development of community hospital services and health services provided by GPs and their teams in Cinderford and Lydney.

The broad options for Cinderford range from retaining Dilke Memorial Hospital as it is with minimal investment to meet minimum building standards to re-providing the hospital to improve patient access to primary care services provided by GPs, therapists and nursing teams (either on its current site or on another site in Cinderford).

The buildings at Lydney and District Hospital are generally in good condition. The options for Lydney include minimum upgrading of the hospital premises to looking at how services can continue to develop at both the hospital and local GP Practices.

The Primary Care Trust has no preferred options at this stage and is committed to involving the local community in the options appraisal work.