HEALTH SERVICES FOR SUDBURY

Creating a ‘health village’ for Sudbury

The West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust has been asked to lead the project for the new Sudbury Health Services and we were delighted to accept.

The Eastern Region NHS Executive has approved the Strategic Outline Business Case (SOC) for the new services. As Project Sponsors we are responsible for producing a Project Management Framework for moving the scheme forward and achieving a successful development. The proposed framework has been shared with partner agencies involved with the project including Local Health Partnerships NHS Trust, the Bury Primary Care Group, the Community Health Council and Suffolk Health.

Development groups are being set up to actively progress the Private Finance Initiative process, develop service specifications, plan the transfer of services and staffing and ensure everyone is kept informed. The groups will include representatives from partner agencies and input from local interest groups and the local community.

Exciting times lay ahead as we work together to deliver the vision of a 'Health Village' for Sudbury as outlined in the SOC. It is an opportunity to develop a new model of service which will bring together health professionals and social services on to one campus which will provide wide ranging benefits to the local community.

Johanna Finn
Project Sponsor
Chief Executive,
West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust

Taking the project forward

Five development groups are being set up which collectively will ensure the timely and successful delivery of the new 'Health Village' for Sudbury.

They are:

1. Steering Group

2. Service Requirement Group

3. Procurement and Negotiating Group

4. Commissioning and Transfer Group

5. Communication and Consultation Group

1. Steering Group

Chaired by the Project Sponsor Johanna Finn this group is responsible for making the main decisions, overseeing the work of the development groups and the timely completion of the project.

2. Service Requirement Group (The Health Village Innovations Group)

This group, which is chaired by Bury PCG Chief Executive Mark Crawley, will take an innovative approach to determining the style of health care for Sudbury. The services will reflect current modern thinking and be based on proven best practice. Drawing on the expertise of GPs, staff, interested agencies and the experience of users, the group will look in detail at the services which are needed, the demand for those services and how they should be delivered to best meet the needs of the local people.

The patient-focused service specifications will form the basis of a brief for potential PFI bidders. It is essential that plans for the Health Village allow the flexible delivery of modern health and social care services. The work of the group will be informed by both the GP Managed Beds and Patients at Home Rehabilitation Schemes described on the following page.

3. Procurement and Negotiating Group

The initial responsibility for this group will be to prepare and lead the PFI process. The group will produce briefing material to encourage interest from the private sector and plan and organise the short-listing process. The group will undertake the initial negotiations with the preferred bidder handing over to the Steering Group to reach a financial close, leading to the acceptance of the Full Business Case.

4. Commissioning and Transfer Group

This group will ensure that:

• The existing hospitals continue to run smoothly as the new development gets underway.

• The correct number of clinical staff with the right skills are available to deliver the new services.

• Plans are in place for the safe and efficient transfer of staff, patients, equipment and services from the Walnuttree and St Leonard's Hospitals to the new site.

5. Communication and Consultation Group

Staff will have an important part to play in drawing up the detail of how these services will be delivered. The group will ensure that staff have full participation in this exercise along with local health related groups and professional bodies.

Involvement of the local community is also important and this will be achieved through information updates and members going out and about to give presentations and listen to feedback.

New Sudbury hospital manager

A new manager has been appointed for the town's Walnuttree and St Leonard's Hospitals.

Stephanie Preston, who took up her new position on April 3, has over the past year been Chief Officer for the West Suffolk Community Health Council.

In addition to her role at the existing hospitals she will be actively involved in the Commissioning and Transfer Group which will be looking at staffing issues regarding the new community hospital and transfer of services to the new site.

Stephanie has a background in nursing and management. Prior to her appointment with the CHC she gained valuable experience working as a Senior Nursing Sister in a brand new community hospital in Lancashire. She was responsible for employing staff, purchasing equipment and developing policies and procedures for the new development. This was followed by a period with Lancashire Health Authority as Commissioning Manager and Nurse Advisor for elderly services.

Patients at home

A new pilot rehabilitation scheme, which will run for a year, has been launched by the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust in partnership with Local Health Partnerships NHS Trust and Suffolk Social Services. The scheme aims to provide timely support to people in their own homes to prevent admission into hospital or nursing home, allow patients to be discharged from hospital earlier and improve their functional independence in the community.

A multidisciplinary team comprising an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, social worker and social services home carers will work together to deliver the new service. Senior Occupational Therapist Helen Richter is already working on the project with Social Worker Margaret Robinson. The Trust is looking to recruit a physiotherapist. 

Success will be based on; assessment of clients six weeks and three months after starting a programme of care to see if their level of independence is maintained; client satisfaction and the number of bed days saved as a result of discharging patients home earlier into the care of the rehabilitation team.

GP managed beds extended

The pilot scheme, which involves GPs admitting patients to Walnuttree Hospital under their care, has now been running for a year. During that time staff at the hospital and the GPs have developed a good working relationship. Evaluation of the scheme is underway and it is hoped to report on its success in the near future.

Lessons learned during this year will help to formulate plans for the new community hospital which will be a joint Consultant and GP led service. Initially the pilot was to run for six months but it will now continue.

GPs from four practices in Sudbury are using 18 beds allocated for the pilot on two wards in the hospital. The practices include; Slam Surgery, Hardwicke House, Cornard and Meadow Lane. Other patients continue to be admitted to the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds or Walnuttree Hospital under the care of a hospital consultant.