PCT Welcomes Baroness Visit

West Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust is set to welcome Baroness Royall of Blaisdon to Cinderford and Lydney on Friday 17 March to ‘showcase’ services provided by the two Community Hospitals and to meet local NHS staff.

Life Peer, Baroness Janet Royall is currently a Government Spokesperson for Health in the House of Lords.

The Baroness will arrive at Dilke Memorial Hospital at 9am on Friday before being taken on a tour of the hospital by PCT Chair, Liz Boait and Modern Matron, Kathy Pitt. She will experience first hand the community based services provided including outpatients, the inpatient unit, minor injuries and rehabilitation services.

A visit to the hospital’s day treatment unit is also part of the itinerary. The engagement of GPs in Practice Based Commissioning in the Forest of Dean has provided a real opportunity to explore the provision of new services locally. The refurbishment of the day treatment unit, undertaken through the generosity of charitable donations, has provided the additional capacity needed for new services e.g. blood transfusions and other drug therapies.

At 10.45am, the Baroness will arrive at Lydney and District Hospital where Modern Matron, Maria Metherall will accompany her on a visit of the hospital. This will include minor injuries, the operating theatre and day surgery unit, the inpatient ward, physiotherapy and outpatients as well as the X-Ray department.

The Baroness will complete her visit at 12 noon where she will meet local GPs and NHS managers to discuss local services and meet representatives from the ‘Friends’ of the two hospitals.

Local Blakeney GP, Dr Martin Gibbs said: “The current national agenda for primary care presents lots of opportunities for us to develop services locally. In particular, linking the community hospitals and practice based commissioning means that we can further reflect the needs of local patients in the services provided. The visit of the Baroness will provide the ideal opportunity to highlight the work already undertaken and share some of our thoughts on the future.”

Chair of West Gloucestershire PCT, Liz Boait said:

“We are very much looking forward to meeting the Baroness on Friday. Our aim is to demonstrate the importance the PCT and local health care professionals place on local Community Hospitals.”

“Both hospitals provide highly valued and important services to the local community in the Forest of Dean and we are keen to showcase the excellent work of local NHS staff.”