Representatives from Bury Clinical Commissioning Group will give a presentation at the meeting.
Minutes:
Dr Kiran Patel, Chair at Bury CCG and Catherine Jackson, Nurse Clinician at the CCG attended the meeting to explain the current Healthier Together consultation and to ask those present for their comments and feedback on the proposals.
It was explained that the way in which healthcare was provided across Greater Manchester was undergoing change. The three areas that were affected were:-
GP services
Health and Social Care
Specialist Surgery (Abdomen and Bowel)
Dr Patel explained that there was currently a scheme running in Radcliffe where GPs were offering their patients appointments 7 days a week and this was due to be rolled out across Bury from December.
Work was taking place looking at how services between health and social care could be integrated and some schemes were already in place that were bridging the gaps in these areas. This ongoing work was bringing together lots of different organisations to provide joined up services across health and social care and bring more community based services to people outside of a hospital based setting.
The current consultation was asking all Greater Manchester residents to look at the different options for specialist hospital services (relating to abdomen and bowel surgery) across the conurbation and give feedback on them.
Dr Patel explained that there were 12 hospitals across Greater Manchester all providing different levels of care in relation to specialist surgery. Following a lot of work with clinicians working in these hospitals, the eight Healthier Together options had been proposed.
It was explained that there were currently hospitals providing specialisms in areas such as stroke and heart surgery and these would not change. All hospitals that currently had an Accident and Emergency department would continue to have one. The changes being consulted on would effect a very small number of patients but would improve the service they received and help save lives.
The options were set out as there being seven or eight local general hospitals and four or five specialist hospitals.
Two hospitals would not be affected by the consultation: Trafford General and Rochdale Infirmary. Three hospitals had already been designated as Specialist: Manchester Royal Infirmary, Salford Royal Hospital and Royal Oldham Hospital. Three had already been designated as Local General Hospitals: Fairfield General Hospital, Tameside General Hospital and North Manchester General Hospital. This leaves four hospitals to consider: Royal Albert Edward Infirmary (Wigan), Royal Bolton Hospital; Wythenshawe Hospital and Stepping Hill Hospital.
Fairfield General Hospital would remain a local general hospital.
The consultation was asking for views on which of the eight options set out was preferred.
Those present were given the opportunity to ask questions and make comments and the following points were raised:
· A member of the public explained that he had experienced extremely poor organisation in the Pennine Acute hospitals. He had been invited to attend an appointment at one hospital only to be asked to attend an alternative site upon arrival as no one was available to treat him.
Dr Patel explained that situations like that would hopefully lessen due to the reorganisation. Out -patient services would be provided closer to home in clinics at GP surgeries.
· A member of the public referred to news reports that had highlighted issues of concern: particularly diluted services and the fact that Wigan residents were quite isolated in relation to the other areas.
Dr Patel explained that the current services were not meeting the required standards and were more diluted than if any of the proposed options were implemented.
Dr Patel also stated that it was recognised that Wigan could be considered out of the way as it was the most westerly location within Greater Manchester and the nearest specialist site already confirmed was Salford Royal. There was a possibility of Royal Albert Edward in Wigan, Royal Bolton and Wythenshawe being confirmed as another site and this would be decided following the consultation. He did however state that all specialist hospitals met transport standards for all residents affected.
· A member of the public asked whether NWAS service were concerned about some of the specialist hospitals being located in Manchester City Centre and how this may affect their transfer times.
Dr Patel explained that NWAS had been involved in the consultation and the proposals since the start of the process and they were more than happy with the location of the confirmed specialist sites. The paramedics were used to accessing city centre locations as hospitals were already located there.
It was agreed:
That Dr Patel and Catherine Jackson be thanked for their attendance.