NHS committed to local healthcare

26/05/2006

The Chief Executive of Cheltenham and Tewkesbury PCT, Caroline Fowles, said today that proposals for changing health services in Winchcombe were necessary to ensure that the local NHS could continue to provide good quality healthcare for its patients.

NHS organisations are required to pay off current deficits and balance their books in 2006/07. For Gloucestershire’s Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) there remains a financial gap of around £14million in plans for 2006/07 and these savings need to be made.

Caroline Fowles said:

“We are very proud of the services we offer to patients. However, despite continuing improvements in the way the NHS provides services locally and despite additional money for PCTs in 2006/07, the NHS in Gloucestershire cannot meet current demand and expectations within its overall funds.”

“We have no option, but to speed up our plans to change the way we provide services if we are to meet the needs of patients in the future. Every month that goes by without savings being made increases the level of savings required later in the year.”

“We understand the strength of feeling locally and recognise the high standards of patient care provided by our staff at Winchcombe Hospital.”

“We remain committed to providing the vast majority of care that patients need in the local community and will be investigating opportunities for providing alternative services in the

Winchcombe area including outpatient and therapy services and a wider range rehabilitative and palliative care services.”

Across the country, and in Gloucestershire , NHS organisations are developing services for patients, which support them to return home from hospital faster.

Caroline continued:

“We will be focussing much of our efforts on services which prepare people to regain their independence more quickly.”

“If we are able to achieve this, it means that we will need fewer NHS hospital beds and more active rehabilitation services provided in community settings.”

“Before we can reduce hospital beds we need to have alternatives in place.”

“The services provided at Ashley House Intermediate Care Centre in Cheltenham are a good example of what we would like to see developed elsewhere across our area.”

Over the last year, Ashley’s team of doctors, nurses and specialist therapists have helped many patients to be transferred from Cheltenham General Hospital to home well prepared and confident to look after themselves.

The PCT will also ensure that local outpatient services continue to be provided locally where appropriate using other local facilities to provide a wider range of services.

The NHS in Gloucestershire is working with the County Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) to ensure that a comprehensive and good quality consultation is in place for its change proposals.

Caroline Fowles added:

“We want the public, patients and our staff to have an opportunity to debate the assumptions which have been used in bringing forward the change proposals and the proposals themselves.”

“We also want people to influence how the proposals would be implemented by making suggestions on how the quality of services can be improved or how greater patient and staff satisfaction can be achieved.”