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Green light to hospital and community developments

 

NHS Doncaster has given the go ahead to a new specialist rehabilitation unit for the Doncaster area as part of changes to some services currently provided at local hospitals.
 
The plans, which are set to be rolled out over the next three years, will also result in more care being provided in the community, closer to where people live.
 
They were agreed by the NHS Doncaster board at its February meeting followed a 13 weeks long public consultation - called Moving with the Times - which ended in December 2011.
 
The board’s decision was welcomed by the Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group (DCCG) - the new organisation led by family doctors which next year is set to take over much of the PCT’s role of organising and paying for local health services.
 
DCCG committee member Dr Sam Feeney, clinical lead for the Moving with the Times project,  said: “We are delighted that the board have approved our plans, which we believe will improve health outcomes for the people of Doncaster who will benefit from what promises to be a state-of-the-art specialist rehabilitation centre at Montagu Hospital.
 
“The proposals will also help secure the future of Montagu by increasing the amount of day surgery and endoscopy procedures the hospital offers.
 
“The hospital developments will be matched by an expansion of community services so we can provide more care where patients have told us they would like to receive it – either at home or as close to home as possible. Advancements in technology mean that more patients can now be cared for at home appropriately and safely. Evidence shows that enabling patients to move to a course of rehabilitation or reablement as quickly as possible after a hospital stay helps them to recover better and return to everyday life much faster. This is great news for moving Doncaster forward.”
 
 Ron Calvert, chief executive, Doncaster & Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which manages Montagu Hospital, also welcomed the announcement, saying: "This decision will put an end to months of uncertainty about the range of services we provide at Montagu Hospital. Though there will be changes to services, this means that the future of Montagu Hospital is assured.
 
"We have drawn up a plan to move from the current position to the approved configuration of services, in line with the PCT's commissioning intentions. The project plan aims to minimise disruption on the hospital site, ensure a good patient environment while building work is in progress, keep our staff and patients and the public informed, and dovetail the changes to the hospital buildings with changes in community services.
 
"This is an exciting time for Montagu Hospital. It is great news that there will be significant investment on the site, making sure that the hospital is fit for the future."
 
As part of the changes to services, Ash, Elm and Rowan wards at Tickhill Road Hospital will close and the rehabilitation services they provide will transfer to Montagu Hospital where they will be integrated into the new rehabilitation centre. Chris Boswell, chief executive at Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust, which owns the Tickhill Road Hospital site, said: “This will free up space at the Tickhill Road Hospital site and this will be taken into account as our estates strategy is developed.”
 
In the next few weeks a summary of the findings of the public consultation will be placed on the NHS Doncaster website – www.doncaster.nhs.uk . Local people interested in following progress towards the changes can keep in touch via the website, facebook and Twitter @DoncasterCCG.
 
Before the consultation started, local clinicians agreed that Montagu Hospital should stop admitting patients brought in by ‘999’ ambulances who needed emergency care for serious conditions like breathing difficulties and heart and stroke problems. This followed guidance from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) which stated that patients suffering from serious medical problems should be treated at a hospital that has a much wider range of facilities than are available at Montagu, including intensive care and a range of diagnostic services. At the end of 2011, the changes were implemented, with seriously ill patients now being taken straight to a local district general hospital at Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham, all of which meet the RCP guidelines.
 
  
 (ends)
Published: Tuesday, 21st February 2012 at 12:05pm