Archived decisions

                      Item 4

SINGLE SURGICAL SERVICE UPDATE: 24 FEBRUARY 2005

Plans to create a single surgical service across Southampton, Winchester, Lymington and Andover will affect fewer than five patients per hundred, says the doctor leading the project.

Consultant eye surgeon Rob Morris* says that outpatient, diagnostic and most day surgery work - which account for at least 95 per cent of secondary care - will still be provided close to people's homes wherever possible.

In a progress report to Trust Boards about general surgery and urology services, Rob said current thinking for planned inpatient care favours developing 'centres of excellence' in Southampton and Winchester. These would group together key staff and facilities to provide the best care for local people and make the best use of resources.

Under the most recent proposals being discussed, lower gastro-intestinal (GI) and laparoscopic upper GI services could be centralised in Winchester, at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital (RHCH) while inpatient urology, vascular and upper GI cancer services could be centralised in Southampton.

Work on options for breast/endocrine services will start once the results of a recent external review of services at Southampton have been considered.

Emergency admissions would continue at both Winchester and Southampton, although all poly-trauma (major accidents etc) would be treated at Southampton General Hospital.

One of the options being considered is whether the small number of patients per week who are operated on at Winchester out of hours could be treated in Southampton instead.

The emergency department at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital would still provide a 24 hour service, irrespective of changes to emergency surgery.

Rob Morris will continue to work with clinicians and other staff over the next few weeks to agree the way forward for general surgery and urology, and start developing similar proposals for ENT, orthopaedics and ophthalmology. These discussions also involve local patient and public representatives.

Final recommendations will be presented to the SUHT and WEHT Trust Boards in late Spring. After this, a formal consultation document will be presented to the public, Primary Care Trusts and hospital Trust Boards, thereby allowing further input into the decision-making process.

* Rob Morris works for both SUHT and WEHT. He has taken a six month secondment to be clinical project director for this project.

Single Surgical System Project

Mid February Update

1. Developing the Clinical Vision

Rob Morris is working with clinicians to determine the best models of care within the project brief. He is currently focusing on phase 1 of the project. A clinical lead for each area has joined a project working group along with Karen Nugent and Paul Gartell, who represent the clinicians on the Project Board. The clinical leads are:

    · Mark Harrison - Urology

    · Christian Wakefield - Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery

    · Nicholas Beck - Lower Gastrointestinal Surgery

    · Gavin Royale - Breast Surgery

    · Nick Wilson - Vascular Surgery.

Progress on the clinical vision will be presented to the Trust Boards in February 2005.

2. Recent Progress

    · The project initiation document has been presented to Mid and South West Hampshire Executive Forum, the WEHT Trust Board and agreed by Surgical Project Board. A more detailed project timetable is being finalised.

    · The Surgical Project Board met on 4th February. It agreed the main work for the coming month is to continue to develop the clinical vision and PPI plan. The Board meets again on 9th March.

    · Baseline information is not yet ready as some organisations have not been able to supply a full data set. It will be available before the next Project Board.

    · Andrew Hyslop from Sheephouse Consulting is supporting financial and activity modelling for the project. Teamwork Management Consultants are doing an operational review and will develop an implementation plan for all Healthfit projects in the locality including this one.

    · The proposed strategic framework for surgical services will be presented to Trust Boards in May.

3. Public and Patient Involvement

A member of the PPI forum attended the Project Board meeting on 4th February. Pam Sorensen from WEHT is taking the lead on pulling together the PPI/Comms advisory group.

A draft PPI/Comms plan has been circulated to the Chief Executives for comment and will be distributed more widely once it has been agreed.

A job description for the additional LDA PPI/Comms support post for Mid and South West Hampshire has been agreed. An LDA communications plan will be presented to the M&SWH Executive Forum on 17th February.

Jane Hayward, Project Manager, February 2005