Community Healthcare Event Held in the Forest

19/05/2005

A special healthcare event designed to involve Forest of Dean community representatives and NHS staff in looking at the current and future needs for health services in Cinderford and Lydney has been described as 'constructive' and 'positive' by West Gloucestershire PCT.

The event, held on Wednesday at Whitemead Park, Parkend, marks the start of a review which will ensure that community healthcare services in the Forest are well-placed to expand and develop for the benefit of the local population.

Chief Executive of West Gloucestershire PCT, Stephen Golledge said:

"We recognise that services provided by Community Hospitals in Cinderford and Lydney will be crucial to meeting the future health needs of patients in the Forest of Dean."

"Local people in the Forest of Dean are passionate about their Community Hospitals. We fully understand the deep traditions and history behind the establishment of these hospitals, but we also share a desire to make sure that services can expand and develop in the right way for the future."

"An integral part of our vision is to increase the availability of healthcare services in the Forest, reducing the need to travel to Gloucester for treatments that we can deliver more locally. We need to have an open, transparent and objective debate about how we can ensure that Forest healthcare doesn't stand still and how we can together secure the future for the delivery of a broad range of local services from purpose built facilities in the Forest."

"Everyone who attended the event supported the view that both Community Hospitals should continue to provide and develop a range of appropriate services to support provision of local services for local people. This should include minor injury and illness services, X-Ray with telemedicine links to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, a range of outpatient services, ultrasound, nurse/G.P. led inpatient beds, palliative care, blood transfusion services, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy."

"It is also evident that each hospital has the potential to specialise in providing a range of additional healthcare services to meet the needs of the whole Forest Community. For example a higher number of surgical operations could be provided in the Lydney and District Hospital theatre and specialist rehabilitation services could be provided at and from the Dilke Memorial Hospital including specialist stroke services, cardiac and pulmonary (lung/airway conditions) rehabilitation and rheumatology services supported by the provision of specialist facilities."

Community representatives who attended the event received presentations from NHS staff about current services provided at the Community Hospitals and also services under development or planned at both Dilke Memorial Hospital and Lydney and District Hospital.

At the Dilke Memorial Hospital staff have been undertaking training in rehabilitation prior to the development of specialist rehabilitation services. A service for people with multiple sclerosis and a stroke service will commence shortly. Plans to provide blood transfusions, a 'look after your legs' service for people who have or have had leg ulcers and enhanced ante-natal services are in progress.

At Lydney and District Hospital recent new services include the provision of a phototherapy service to treat skin conditions and a telephone physiotherapy advice service. Foot surgery will commence in June and it is hoped to start a carpal tunnel syndrome service and increase other surgery later this year. Staff are also planning to develop a chemotherapy service which could be provided at both hospitals or in the patients' own home.

Those who attended the event also helped to develop a benefits criteria, by which to 'judge' the options (i.e. what important issues should the PCT consider when looking at the options) e.g. providing services which allow as many people as possible to be treated locally and ensuring 'local ownership'.

Stephen Golledge explained that the criteria will be used when looking in detail at the range of services to be provided in the future and the facilities required to provide these services.

He said:

"The Primary Care Trust has no preferred options at this stage and is committed to involving the local community in the options appraisal work."

The PCT is currently looking at a number of broad options for the development of community hospital services and health services provided by GPs and their teams in Cinderford and Lydney.

The options for Cinderford are to retain Dilke Memorial Hospital as it is or re-provide the hospital to improve patient access to primary care services provided by GPs, therapists and nursing teams (either on its current site or on another site in Cinderford).

Dilke Memorial Hospital requires a large amount of money to be spent on it to carry out vital repair work (around £1.3 million). Buildings used by GPs and their teams in Cinderford are also in need of substantial investment in order for them to meet the growing needs of the local population.

In Lydney, the PCT needs to ensure that health services provided at the two GP Practices and the hospital continue to develop for the future with options such as more outpatient clinics, increased use of the hospital operating theatre and looking at other health and social care services that could be provided in Lydney.

An initial report highlighting the findings of the Community Healthcare Event and feedback from the public and NHS staff will be published in the next few weeks. This will include publication of the Benefits Criteria that will be used to evaluate the Options.

A full report setting out the main findings of the Options Appraisal work will be completed by the Autumn and will support a three month public and staff consultation.