PROPOSED RECONFIGURATION OF SURGERY SERVICES
Reconfiguration of services is considered inevitable by many leading voices in the UK healthcare system in order to improve clinical outcomes and address the increasing need for specialisation. The Trust recognises it needs to change the way surgical services are delivered and so extensive consideration has been given to how a workable plan can be devised to deliver high quality, sustainable surgical services to our patients in the future.
Various proposals have been developed through a clinically led option design and appraisal process involving an increasingly broad range of stakeholders. The preferred option has been shared more widely with the public through a series of public engagement events between October 2014 and February 2015. The findings of this process were shared with the Trust Board at their meeting in March 2015, please see the final version of the engagement report here: HEFT March 2015engagement report
Many people from a broad range of backgrounds, including patients, staff, local GPs, councillors and MPs responded with feedback, both verbally and in writing. In total, 500 members of the public were directly engaged with through public and private meetings. There were also 120,000 copies of the consultation booklet distributed across Solihull, Birmingham and South Staffordshire. Staff from the Trust attended ward committee meetings, spoke with community patient and carer groups and held public information events at local shopping centres. The feedback given during this first phase shows there is acceptance that changing the way surgical services are delivered is the right approach to take and the overall consensus is to support the Trust in delivering the best possible solution for providing surgery care for the local population.
WHY WE HOSTED THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION?
Members of the public have been encouraged to have their say on our proposals which aim to create surgery centres of excellence (specialist centres) at Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull Hospitals.
A series of public engagement meetings and events were held between October 2014 and February 2015 in order for us to listen to what patients and the public think of the proposed re-design and what they want from their services in the future.
Our plan is to change how we deliver certain surgical specialties, so most patients would not see any change to their own care, though they may enjoy using some of the fresher, more modern treatment and public areas that would be developed as a result.
The proposals recommend that all patients requiring elective surgery attend all of their pre and post-operative visits at their nearest hospital, with only a small number then going on to have their actual procedure at one of the other hospital sites (whichever is the centre of excellence for that particular specialty).
The changes will help us to meet the new, high standards for surgery that are being set by the Royal Colleges. By creating centres of excellence across the three sites, the plan is to bring more specialist doctors and the latest equipment together to provide the very best care possible to our patients.
It is proposed that all of our other services, including A&E, maternity, outpatients and diagnostic testing in all of the three local hospitals, will be kept the same.
Next steps
The Trust’s Board has taken the decision to pause the proposals to reconfigure surgery services at this current time to focus on performance and financial challenges. These proposals will be reconsidered after the present recovery phase.
Birmingham Cross City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are engaged with this process and are fully supportive of this decision.
WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROPOSALS?
Please watch this short film detailing our proposed plan:
Hear from the three clinicians leading the project:
Proposed changes to Surgery at our Trust
Pre consultation case for change
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
We are building a list of FAQs for those who would like to find answers to specific topic areas related to the proposed changes. Please click on the following link:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
PATIENTS FIRST INFORMATION BOOKLET:
Download your copy of our information booklet by clicking the following link:
Patients First – public consultation on surgery reconfiguration booklet
There are plenty of other ways to give us your feedback.
Contact us as follows:
- EMAIL: surgeryreconfiguration@heartofengland.nhs.uk
- TELEPHONE: 0121 424 3838
- TWITTER: @heartofengland (remember to use #surgeryreconfig)
If you would like to have your say on how we make surgery fit for the future at the Trust, you can also leave your feedback below. We’re keen to hear from you:
