Archived decisions

Contact: Denise Holden ex 7338

e-mail: [email protected]

1. Summary and Purpose

1.1. The purpose of this report is to alert Members to proposals from the NHS to vary or develop health services provided to people living in the area of the Committee.

1.2. Proposals that are considered to be substantial in nature will be subject to formal public consultation. The nature and scope of this consultation should be discussed with the Committee at the earliest opportunity.

1.3. The response of the Committee will take account of the Framework for Assessing Substantial Change and Variation in Health Services agreed by the Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton Joint Committee in March 2005. This places particular emphasis on the duties imposed on the NHS by Section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001.

1.4. This Report is presented to the Committee in 2 parts:

_ Items for information: these alert the Committee to forthcoming proposals from the NHS to vary or change services. This provides the Committee with an opportunity to determine if the proposal would be considered substantial and assess the need to establish formal joint arrangements

_ Items for action: these set out the actions required by the Committee to respond to proposals from the NHS to substantially change or vary NHS services.

1.5. This report and recommendations provide members with an opportunity to influence and improve the delivery of health services in Hampshire and therefore

support the delivery of the Corporate Strategy aim of maximising well being.

Items for Information

2. Review of Maternity Services in South West Hampshire

2.1. Further to the discussion about the cause of the delays to the building of Ashurst Birth Centre and briefing note from SUHT is attached, setting out progress since 5 February.( Appendix 1)

Recommendations

2.2. Members receive any additional information requested from SUHT.

2.3. SUHT provides the HOSC with regular up-dates on progress with the development of the Ashurst site.

3. Application for Foundation Trust Status: Southampton University Hospitals Trust

3.1. The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight considered the SUHT proposals for Foundation Trust status at its meeting on 3 December.

3.2. The response of SUHT to the questions raised by that Committee is attached at Appendix 2.

Recommendation

3.3. Any additional questions from Members are raised with SUHT.

Items for Action

4. West Sussex PCT: Acute Service Reconfiguration

4.1 The West Sussex Health Overview and Scrutiny Joint Committee is continuing, on a bi-weekly basis, to scrutinise West Sussex Primary Care Trust's proposals for the reconfiguration of acute health services in West Sussex. The Primary Care Trust Board met on 14 February 2008 to consider the report of Sir Graeme Catto, who had been appointed to investigate the alternatives put forward following the public consultation. Sir Graeme had recommended that accident and emergency services should remain at all three hospitals in question, St. Richards, Chichester; Worthing and Princess Royal, Haywards Heath with either St. Richards or Worthing becoming a Major General Hospital and the other two becoming Local General hospitals. He also recommended that full maternity and obstetrics should be based at the Major General Hospital and other midwife led birth units in West Sussex. The Primary Care Trust Board accepted these proposals but wished to also to continue to give consideration to their original four proposals in addition to these. The Board's final decision on which option will be made on 7 May 2008.

4.2 The most recent up-date from West Sussex PCT and consultation document is available at http://www.southeastcoastfff.nhs.uk/Home/West-Sussex.aspx .

Recommendations

4.3 Members are kept apprised of the progress of the Joint West Sussex HOSC.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents that disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

File Location

None

Appendix 1

10^th March 2008

Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust

Update for Hampshire Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the creation of New Forest Birth Centre

I. Introduction

A. This paper summarises the progress to date on the creation of New Forest Birth Centre since the meeting between the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust (SUHT) and Hampshire NHS Primary Care Trust (HPCT) on 5 February 2008. This is the first of a series of regular updates that the Trust will be issuing while the Centre is being developed and during its first months of opening.

B. The Full Business Case for the New Forest Birth Centre (Phase 1) was approved by the SUHT Trust Board on 5 February 2008.

II. Project Team

A. A project team to oversee the construction and commissioning of the facility has been established. This team has representatives from the Contractor, SUHT and Hampshire PCT and meets fortnightly to receive updates from the eight working groups established to support the project:

IM&T and telecoms - working group established with representation from SUHT, Hampshire PCT, Southampton City PCT and ICT Shared services

Operational Delivery / Commissioning - working group co-ordinating development of the operational policy, arrangement of the support services to the facility, transfer of the service from Hythe and PAH and decommissioning of the Hythe Birth Centre

HR / Communications - working group responsible for the production of the communication and marketing plan, co-ordination of all communication with patients, the public, media, staff and key stakeholders, liaison with HR and staff side

Service User Group - responsible for co-ordination of service user input to the design and commissioning of the facility

Fundraising Group - responsible for the development and implementation of the fundraising strategy for the facility

Legal Group - responsible for the arrangement of leases and legal agreements relating to the occupation of the New Forest Birth Centre and locality bases in Romsey, Lymington and Hythe

Equipping Group - responsible for the development and implementation of the Equipping Strategy for the facility in line with the project programme and budget

B. The project will monitor progress on the scheme and escalate the reporting of any slippage, delays or risks identified to the Project Director and Project Owner.

III. Communication and Marketing

3.1 A marketing plan has been developed (please see enclosure 1) and a flyer to promote the centre is currently being reviewed before being sent to the printers. Once the flyer is ready to use the marketing activities will begin in earnest and every effort will be made to promote the centre to pregnant women due to give birth after September 2008.

IV. Project Progress

A. The project programme has been finalised (please see enclosure 2) with a completion date of 19 August 2008. The Trust has identified a two-week commissioning period following completion with a plan to open the facility in the first week of September 2008.

B. All working groups are producing project plans for their areas of responsibility aligned to this timescale. First drafts of these plans will be presented to the Project Team on 13 March 2008.

C. The project programme identifies the provision of Phase 1 of the Birth Centre, comprising 2 birth pool rooms and 7 post natal beds that the detailed activity modelling has identified as sufficient capacity to accommodate up to 600 births and 800 post natal admissions in the first instance. SUHT is currently working up the detailed plans for Phase 2 of the New Forest Birth Centre that will provide an additional poolroom and 5 postnatal beds. The space for Phase 2 has been allocated within the building and will remain unoccupied to ensure immediate occupation when the detailed plans are finalised.

Enclosure 1

The New Forest Birth Centre DRAFT 1 4^TH March 2008

V. Marketing Plan

The primary aim of this action plan is to promote the New Forest Birth Centre as a Birth Place Choice for women and families accessing the Southampton Maternity Service. The result of the promotion should ensure the realisation of a minimum of 450 births facilitated within the Birth Centre at the end of the first year and provide a platform for future growth in utilisation over time.

The immediate target audience for ensuring the success of the New Forest Birth Centre is all pregnant women from booking and throughout the antenatal period who remain `low risk' and suitable for a birth place choice of either home or a stand alone birth centre. There may be later opportunities to engage local employers to reach women pre-conceptually.

It is acknowledged that women from the areas of Totton, Lymington, Hythe and Romsey are the most likely to choose the New Forest Birth Centre, as the concept of a standalone birth centre is familiar within their localities. However, due to the geographical location of the Birth Centre there is potential for women from Southampton City, in particular women from Maybush, Redbridge and Millbrook and women from Southern Parishes to access the standalone Birth Centre at Ashurst. The motorway and road links ensure that the Birth Centre is as accessible as the Princess Anne Hospital in terms of time and distance. Therefore, it is reasonable to promote the Birth Centre as a choice for all women within Southampton Maternity Service catchment.

The New Forest Birth Centre will be a first class facility offering a `home from home' environment with 24 hour midwifery led care. There will be two birthing rooms with pools; in the first phase there will be 7 postnatal beds with the expectation to increase to twelve. There will be an opportunity for women from the New Forest area to choose to have their postnatal period at the Birth Centre, in particular, women following a Caesarean section and those requiring additional support with breastfeeding issues. Catering will take place on the premises and food will be freshly prepared. The building is situated on the Ashurst hospital site in a picturesque location with free parking. Transport links make access easy and there will be facilities to provide antenatal care, Parent Education classes and drop in breastfeeding support sessions.

It is within a ten-minute distance from the Princess Anne Hospital ensuring a minimal transfer time should a need to transfer a woman or baby arise. Women and their families want to feel confident, comfortable and safe throughout their pregnant, birth and postnatal period. The New Forest Birth Centre will provide an environment enabling the maternity service to offer an excellent quality service ensuring that women have these expectations met within this facility.

The following action plan aims to ensure that the key stakeholders are engaged as early as possible in order to proactively promote the New Forest Birth Centre. The stand-alone facility will be ready to receive women and their families on the 1^st September 2008. It is therefore imperative that clear objectives are set and deadlines met in order to raise awareness that the Birth Centre is available for women to choose as a Birth Place choice.

Appendix 2