Futures Forum: The Future for Heath in Sidmouth: event Tuesday 26th November: agenda
here is the report from that meeting:
THE
FUTURE FOR HEALTH IN SIDMOUTH
Futures
Forum of the Vision Group for Sidmouth
Roundtable
meeting - Tuesday 26th November
THE
PRESENTATIONS:
The Futures
Forum Chair, Robert Crick, welcomed guest speakers to an informal round-table meeting
to consider the future for health in Sidmouth.
Sue
Cutting [Eastern Locality Urgent Care
Programme Lead; Deputy Head of Commissioning for the Clinical Commissioning
Group (part of the Northern, Eastern & Westerly Locality – or NEW Devon CCG)
aka Wakley] felt that engagement with the public was key to the
commissioning role of what is the country’s largest CCG – and with new
challenges being faced, for example Sidmouth’s ageing population now above the
Devon norm, it was vital to address people’s needs and to engage with the
public.
Geoff
Butler [Lay Member of the Wakley
sub-Locality of the CCG] made it clear that, as the first point of contact
with the CCG, his role was to ensure that the views of patients were championed
at this level when ‘commissioning’ or contracting out services in the NHS.
Graham Vincent [Chair of the Comforts Fund of the
Sidmouth Victoria Hospital] outlined the five stages of
work on upgrading the hospital since 1989, with the final Stage Five scheduled
for completion in June 2014, entailing new physiotherapy facilities, single
wards and a day-case surgery.
Di
Fuller [Chair of the Sid Valley Patients
Participation Group (PPG), the re-named patients' forum] stated that the
role of the PPG was to act as a conduit between doctors and patients, by determining
views and providing information – for example, a two-week questionnaire
completed by 750 patients, with the outcome of plans to refurbish the Sid
Valley practice, and the recent open meeting showing the way forward to the new
centre at Stowford due to open in April 2015.
Mark
McGlade [Chair of the Budleigh PPG; Member
of the WEB Health & Social Care Team; Board Member of the DCC Devon Dementia
Care & Support Partnership; Managing Director of Home Instead Senior
Care, Budleigh] stated that 25% of patients at the RD&E Hospital
suffer from dementia and yet their home-care is often unclear at discharge –
however, the new CCG should enable the NHS and Social Services to work together,
with the nationwide Dementia-Friendly towns campaign gathering pace following
Torbay in 2009 and the example of Budleigh hospital becoming a
Ian
Skinner [Chair of the Health & Social
Well-being Board which covers part of Wakley] laid out the work of the
Board, linked to the CCG: it helps to monitor and gather information about care
in the community and includes groups chaired by Cllr Drew, concerned with the
working-age population, and Andrew Stevens, whose report on the elderly has
been accepted by the Town Council.
Shiobhan Pickering [Sidmouth Community Matron for dementia] echoed concerns that, whilst there is no care home catering specifically for dementia sufferers in Sidmouth, provision should also be made to ensure there is a future for younger people – who will be the carers of the future.
Gordon
Read [Member of Exeter Locality PPG,
attending NEW Devon CCG meetings; Member of the ‘Keep Our NHS Public’ campaign]
felt that the PPG, as conduit between doctors and patients, were natural allies
in preserving the NHS; and that the CCG was doing an excellent job in trying to
embed patients’ voices within the NHS, together with the welcome appointment of
Lay Members.
Angela
Lambert [Member of the 38 degrees NHS
campaign] also felt very positive about local developments.
Dr Mike
Slot [Sid Valley Practice] arrived
later and contributed to the discussion.
Cllr
Francis Newth [Chair, Sid Valley
Volunteer Services Committee] echoed concerns about catering for isolated
and lonely elderly Sidmouthians, whom the SVS worked with closely.
THE
DISCUSSION:
The
session then resumed with questions and exchange with members of the public:
Di
Fuller was concerned that many groups were paying lip service to patient
representation and that more patients, and especially younger people, should be
involved. Geoff Butler replied that Lay Members were indeed trying to contact
these groups.
Tony
Gold pointed to an apparent contraction between dementia care in the home and
institutionalising dementia sufferers. Dr Mike Slot responded by stating that
the former Stowford dementia centre could be bought by the Partnership Trust to
act as a hub and that he hoped there would be more facilities to give carers
some respite. Paul Whitehead pointed to the new hub in Budleigh which was cutting
new ground – and Mark McGlade reiterated that this offered both dementia
sufferers and their carers a facility ‘fit for purpose’.
Michael
Brittain pointed to the predicted increase in demand in Sidmouth, especially
for physiotherapy facilities – and was reassured by Graham Vincent that the Phase
5 agreed to with the then-North Devon NHS Trust had laid down certain
conditions, including provision of enough properly-trained staff to service the
new facility, although he looked forward to new projects once this Phase was
completed.
Concerns
about how Lay Members of CCGs and PPGs simply ‘went along’ with the decisions
of professional members of liaison groups were expressed, but Geoff Butler said
they were unfounded. Dr Mike Slot agreed, saying that whilst the PPG had been
supportive of the Sid Valley Practice, it had always been questioning and
challenging – as having the lay perspective was very important. Di Fuller
reiterated that members of the public were welcome to become involved in the
PPG.
Whilst
information can be obtained from the Library, Practice and Hospital, the
importance of social networking for younger people was brought up – and the usefulness
of the Patient Advice and Liaison Service website, amongst others.
THE
FUTURE:
Sue
Cutting said that despite the pressures and budgetary constraints, it was the
doctors who were leading the commissioning.
Geoff
Butler concurred that the medical practitioners were trying to get the best
they could.
Graham
Vincent felt that a well-educated public – whether with regard to diet,
exercise or preventive medicine – would become more responsible for their own
well-being.
Di
Fuller said that forums offered the opportunity for all members of the public
to discuss issues – but it remained a challenge as to how to engage the young.
Mark
McGlade concluded by saying that the CCGs presented an opportunity to build
services; it was clear that the CCG and Commissioners wanted to reach out to the patient groups and
engage on how to spend public funds.
Ian
Skinner outlined a vision for health and social care working in tandem: firstly,
with Victoria Hospital patients expecting a complete package of home care on
release and, secondly, by forging links between local trusts and Devon County
when commissioning services from the CCG – for all of Sidmouth’s populace, as
there was a need for an overview of all the facilities available, with one
group leading for the whole of Sidmouth.
Futures
Forum, Vision Group for Sidmouth
November
2013
More reports to follow...
Vision Group for Sidmouth - The Future for Health in Sidmouth: report
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