Feedback on proposals to transform surgical services in Tayside

TUESDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER, 2017

IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Feedback on proposals to transform surgical services in Tayside

Two successful public events have been held in the past two weeks as part of the Transformation of Surgical Services consultation.

Around 60 members of the public, patients, carers and relatives attended public events in Stracathro Hospital and Pitlochry Town Hall to share their views as part of the consultation on proposals for the transformation of surgical services in Tayside.

Associate Medical Director for Surgery Peter Stonebridge gave a presentation about the proposal and he and members of the consultation team were available to discuss the proposals to make changes to where surgeons, doctors and nurses deliver some general surgical procedures in Tayside. The proposed changes are to ensure NHS Tayside can continue to provide sustainable, safe, high-quality surgical services into the future.

Written materials were also available for people to take home, including the consultation summary document, frequently asked questions and questionnaire.

Some of the feedback at the events has included discussions on transport, potential impact on carers and families and staffing resources.

The consultation began on 3 July 2017 and will run until 3 October.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend the consultation events to find out more and share their views.

    • Thursday, 21 September, 5pm-7pm, (presentation) Perth and Kinross Council City Chambers, 2 High Street, Perth

    • Tuesday, 26 September, 2pm-4pm (drop-in), Ninewells Hospital main concourse and 5pm-7pm (presentation) at Gannochy Lecture Theatre, Ninewells Hospital

As part of the consultation process, public feedback is continually reviewed and following comments from stakeholders, further information stands about the consultation and how to get involved will also be displayed at community hospitals across Tayside.

    • Monday, 25 September, Arbroath Infirmary, outpatient department, between 12.30pm and 2.30pm

    • Monday, 25 September, St Margaret’s Community Hospital, Auchterarder, between 2pm and 5pm

    • Wednesday, 27 September, Crieff Community Hospital, between 3pm-6pm

    • Thursday, 28 September, Blairgowrie Community Hospital, between 2pm – 5pm

    • Friday, 29 September, Whitehills Health and Community Care Centre, Forfar, between 2pm and 5pm

Like all health boards in Scotland, NHS Tayside is facing significant challenges including caring for an ageing population, an increasing number of people with long-term and multiple conditions, a shortage of some groups of health staff and growing demand for services.

For these reasons, NHS Tayside cannot keep delivering health services the way they have always delivered them. Services throughout NHS Tayside need to adapt to ensure they meet the current and future needs of the population.

At the moment, both elective and unscheduled surgery in Tayside is carried out at two sites, Ninewells Hospital in Dundee and Perth Royal Infirmary in Perth. Stracathro Hospital in Angus only carries out elective surgery.

The proposed transformation of surgical services will create a service that allows NHS Tayside to deliver high-quality care, balancing the number of operations that can be carried out in all three acute hospitals in Tayside with patient demand.

Surgeons, doctors, nurses and other members of the clinical team are leading this proposed change and they have explored many options of how surgery can be transformed in Tayside with other clinicians, managers, voluntary sector representatives, staff and NHS Tayside public partners.

A wide range of people were involved in reviewing the pros and cons of each option put forward by the clinical teams. The preferred option was then presented to the Board of NHS Tayside who agreed that the public should be consulted on the following proposal:

    • There will continue to be three surgical units across Tayside at Ninewells, Perth Royal Infirmary and Stracathro Hospital

    • All unscheduled surgery should come to Ninewells Hospital 24-hours a-day

    • An increase in the number of elective surgery patients at Perth Royal Infirmary to develop PRI as a centre for excellence for elective surgery

    • An increase in the number of day case and minor elective surgery patients at Stracathro

The proposals would mean that all patients in Tayside can access the most appropriate facilities for their elective surgery.

This also means that more Perth & Kinross elective patients would be treated closer to home at PRI and there would be an enhancement of critical care in the hospital to deal with an increase in major elective surgery.

Arlene Wood, NHS Tayside General Manager for Surgery, said, “We have already received valuable feedback from people across Tayside. We hope that people will continue to share their views on the proposed future model for surgical services in Tayside by coming along to the public engagement events.”

Information about the consultation is available at www.transformingsurgery.scot.nhs.uk where the public can find out more about the proposals and complete an online questionnaire. You can also contact Freephone 0800 7836110, by email surgicalservices.tayside@nhs.net or by post Public Involvement, Tayside NHS Board, Freepost SCO 6181, Dundee, DD3 8ZR.

Contact:

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138

19 September 2017