Community Healthcare Review

18/01/2006

The current emphasis of the Community Healthcare review is on exploring in detail which community healthcare services should be provided in the Forest of Dean for the benefit of the whole population.

Good progress is being made and the Review Project Team has divided the project into a number of work streams, each of which is considering a service area. Progress has been made on a number of these, particularly in bringing the background information together to help support further discussions.

Some examples of the work we have progressed:

The PCT held a GP workshop with the Forest GP Reps to ask for their thoughts on how we can make best use of our community hospital bed resources both now and in the future

• Consideration has been given to how we use our Minor Injury and Illness Units (MIIUs) and how to deliver the most effective service. A wide range of data has been produced as supporting information that presents a clear picture of how and when people are accessing this service
  
  
• A review of the theatre activity is taking place, including how we can learn from the primary care led Podiatry and carpal tunnel services being undertaken at Lydney, and potentially extend this type of provision
  
  
• The older people’s mental health strategy is linking with the community hospitals review project to give consideration to the role of community hospitals in the provision of mental health services to older people in the Forest.

Director of Service Delivery, John Ford said:

“We are committed to fulfilling the objectives of the review to provide a wide range of community health services that are fully used, accessible, safe for patients and financially viable. It is also vital that these services have the support of the local population.”

“We are also committed to working in partnership and continuing our discussions with hospital and community staff and local GP practices. In particular, the latest Department of Health guidance emphasises the importance of GPs leading the commissioning (purchasing) of local services in the future. We therefore need to ensure that our local GPs fully support proposals for services.”

“We will continue to involve community representatives and staff in discussions on current services, their use and how best to develop them for the future.”

“ Although, the identification and planning of services needs to be completed before any firm judgements can be made on how buildings should develop we would like to make it clear that there are no hidden agendas and we remain committed to ensuring a viable and healthy future for Community hospitals in the Cinderford and Lydney areas.”

“I would also like to stress that for the North Forest area, options for the redevelopment of Dilke Memorial Hospital on its existing site will be fully considered as part of the review when work on service planning has been completed.”

It is envisaged that work on developing service options will not be complete until Spring 2006 at the earliest.