The following statement has been released today:
Damian Hinds has written to senior county health leaders with outstanding concerns about proposed changes to Community Hospital provision in East Hampshire.
In a letter to the chief executives of both Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (HIoWHT) and the Integrated Care Board (ICB), Damian has set out issues he says must be addressed in deciding whether the proposals are approved.
The NHS is pursuing a ‘left-shift’ strategy set out by Health Secretary Wes Streeting. This is to try to discharge patients from acute hospitals sooner, into community provision. Many patients leaving an acute hospital such as Basingstoke or Queen Alexandra Portsmouth transfer first to a community hospital such as Alton or Petersfield for a time, before the move to home. Others are able to go straight home, but it is reported that the demand for home-based care exceeds capacity.
Under the Trust’s current proposals, more patients would be discharged directly home – with nurses then visiting them at home – rather than into rehabilitation wards.
At Alton Community Hospital, there is to be a reduction of 10 ‘permanent’ beds, but with the option to open 12 ‘surge’ beds when the demand rises. The need for beds does vary across the year.
But at Petersfield Community Hospital, the proposal is to remove 20 beds – one of the two current rehabilitation wards. It is understood that staff from the affected ward will be redeployed to bolster home-based care – Damian is seeking clarity on this. A reduction in bed capacity is also proposed for Summerlee in Portsmouth.
Damian has written to the Trust and the Integrated Care Board: “The priority must of course always be what is best for patients. I do understand that in many cases recovery at home after an acute hospital stay is optimal. However, the availability of step-down care in a community hospital is also vital, and our local community hospitals also provide step-up care and end-of-life care. The staff of both Alton and Petersfield hospitals have a high reputation with patients and their families.”
Earlier this month, Damian called for the Petersfield proposals to be paused to allow for meaningful consultation with patients, families and other health professionals. He has welcomed the Trust allowing more time but is concerned that there is still limited information on the replacement service, its staffing and when it would be in place. This is especially important for local GPs who need to understand what is being proposed, the reasoning, and what support they’ll receive.
In his letter to HIoWHT and the ICB, Damian Hinds raises a number of issues that he says must be taken into account in the final decision. These include implications for primary care (GPs) and wider social care provision. He has sought assurances on availability of end-of-life care, and about provision for step-up care, given a possible unintended consequence of additional acute hospital admissions.
A fundamental assessment needs to take place, he argues, of the total rehabilitation ward capacity needed in our area, for the best patient outcomes.
Damian said: “Obviously people need the right care at the right time, according to their individual needs. Timely discharge from a major hospital is generally better for patients, and ensures the acute beds are available for those that need them. But ‘left-shift’ can mean more people moving into a community hospital as well as more moving straight home. It is imperative there is the right provision for both. If, say, more people ended up waiting longer to leave Queen Alexandra hospital because of fewer community hospital beds being available, that would be bad for patient outcomes, and actually mean higher cost for the NHS as a whole.”
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Notes to editors:
· HIoWHT is the part of the NHS locally that runs community services. it works with, but is different from the NHS Trusts than run acute hospitals such as Queen Alexandra Portsmouth, Basingstoke and Winchester. The ICB is the body that ultimately commissions services, bringing together all the different parts of the NHS in the county.
· The Trust is seeking views from local people about these proposals. There are two engagement events coming up – an online event and an in-person meeting in Petersfield. People can also read more about the proposals and share their views via email or an online survey by visiting the Trust’s website (same link as below):
o Wednesday 8 October from 6-7pm (online) – (links to join the meeting are on the website Increasing home-based rehabilitation :: Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Foundation Trust)
o Thursday 9 October from 2-6pm (in-person) – St Peter’s Hall, 6 St Peter’s Road, GU32 3HX
· If the proposals were to go ahead, the ICB / Trust have said they would work with the local community to explore how the space at Petersfield hospital could be used, for example via additional outpatient or community clinics.
