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Health Service Forum South East
Minutes of a regular meeting of the Health Service Forum SE held on 14 September 2010 in the Larkfield Centre
Contents
Meeting with Jane Grant 25 August 2010
Welcome
Margaret Hinds, Chair of the Health Forum, welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Apologies
Apologies were received from Dorothy Walls, Alastair Glen, Janette Butler, Alva Caldwell, Douglas McGregor
Correspondence
a) An invitation was extended to Richard Copland, Director of IT for the GG&C Health Board, to speak to Forum. He accepted and will attend our October meeting.
b) A letter was received from The Socialist Health Association advising that their members are entitled to vote in the forthcoming leadership election for the Labour Party. As the Forum had not renewed its subscription this invalidated our vote.
Treasurer’s Report
Mary Hamilton reported a balance in the bank of £2097.29
Letters to the Herald
David Smith and Margaret Hinds sent letters to the press which were published.
1. David Smith voiced the concerns of many at the closure of Ward B at the Victoria Infirmary. This ward was established in 2002 specifically to care for breast cancer patients. The bed occupancy in the ward had reduced to three and it was decided to accommodate these patients within other wards. The Board has assured us that breast cancer ward is planned for
There are currently only two Consultants in breast surgery at the
2. Margaret Hinds wrote about the cancellation of operations prompted by an article printed by the Herald on the issue raised by NHS Quality Improvement. In the year 2009/10 there were 5183 cancelled operations. No doubt there are many reasons for this. However a proportion of these must be due to lack of post operative intensive care units to support major surgery. The premature demolition of the facility at Stobhill and replacement with a portable unit with fewer beds has not helped. It is understood that the
New South Acute Hospital
Eric Canning reported that the work on the new laboratories is progressing . We do not have up-to-date details on the plans and will ask Niall McGrogan. Two of our members had attended a meeting to see a mock up of a single bedded unit planned for the hospital. It was disappointing that comments passed on the en suite facility were not taken down in writing by the NHS employees on duty. It was noted that the taps were unsuitable for a disabled patient, there were no hooks to hang up dressing etc and no shelf to lay a shaver or razor etc. We have written to Niall to ask for his comments.
There was no other competent business and the meeting was closed.
Date of Next Meeting
The date of the next meeting is 12 October 2010 at 7.30 p.m. The speaker will be Richard Copland, Director of IT for the GG&C Health Board.
The Treasurer would like to thank those of you who have already paid and remind others that dues for the Health Service Forum should be paid as soon as possible. £5 per person or £25 for group membership.
Meeting with Jane Grant 25 August 2010
Present; Jane Grant (Chief Operating Officer), Anne Wilson (General Manager for Surgery), Richard Copland (Director of IT), Alex McIntyre(Facilities Management), Dr George Welsh (Clinical Director of Surgery).
HSFSE; Margaret Hinds, Eric Canning, Pat Lally, Louise Laing, Matthew Dunnigan, James Sandeman, David Smith.
Jane Grant welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions of those present were made. Matthew Dunnigan spoke on behalf of the HSFSE to say that we feel that the Board is making improvements in many directions and we appreciate the time being given to us to discuss the issues we have raised. Jane advised that she would have to leave at 4 p.m. in order to attend a further meeting.
The first topic discussed was Day Surgery. David Smith asked for information on extent of the day surgery being performed at the Victoria ACH and the anxiety that there is about the physical separation of the ACH and the Infirmary.
Anne Wilson replied that there is pre-operative assessment of every patient to identify their suitability for day surgery. The national target for day surgery is 81%; the GG&C Health Board has achieved 80.9%. During the first year of opening of the ACH there have been 10,000 more day surgery patients with 6 theatres working five days a week. George Welsh added that Day surgery is the default position. There are two types of patient a) the true day surgery patient b) Day case patient with a plan to keep in overnight. There are plans to push the boundaries and utilise and possibly expand the number of 23 hour overnight beds.
David Smith raised the issue of the closure of Ward B which was dedicated to breast cancer patients. George Welsh advised that the ward was filled by less that 50% breast cancer patients. More and more patients have day surgery . Due to awareness, patients are presenting earlier and less radical surgery is required. In the medium to short term the mixed ward including breast cancer patients is the model. By February of next year Gartnavel will have a dedicated ward of 10 beds for these patients from across the Board area. Margaret Hinds supported David in his anxiety that breast cancer patients have lost the privacy and support that the dedicated ward gave them.
Pat Lally asked whether the Board envisaged an increase in day surgery. Dr Welsh responded Yes, using the 23 bed facility. Asked about the number of patients having to be transferred from the ACH to Acute facilities, the team replied that there had been one case only in the recent past. In other words less than the 1to 3% as statistically predicted. 1000 day surgery cases had to be kept in overnight in the past year. (Based on a five day week we estimate that 3 or 4 patients are kept in overnight).
It was suggested by the Health Board representatives that a spokesperson from the Minor Injuries Unit should attend the next meeting that the Forum have with Board members, to speak about the usage of the MIU since opening.
Eric Canning addressed the signage at the ACH. Thanks to James Sandeman, who had surveyed the premises and sent a copy to Jane Grant in advance of the meeting, the discussion was fairly brief and we were given the assurance that the points raised would be investigated.
Margaret Hinds advised that when an appointment is made verbally, with no confirmation
Before Jane had to leave the meeting Louise asked her if there is a protocol for nurses to follow with regard care of the carer. A woman, who had had come in with her sick husband, was waiting for news of her husband and was sitting outside ward 12A in the Victoria INF at 10.30 a.m. having come in to the A&E at 7.30 a.m. She had not been offered a drink or food to sustain her in all this time. Jane replied that there is not a protocol but she would hope that the staff would look after the carer. Louise suggested that a protocol should be put in place.
Electronic records have been in use since the opening of the ACH in June 2009. The pre-existing records in paper form have still to be transferred into the digital form and any written notes currently taken by consultants are being scanned into the new system. Richard Copland advised that renal patient records became digital three weeks ago. Within 12-16 months the other patients will follow.
80% of out-patients data can be seen through the electronic portal. 100% X-Ray information is available electronically. By the end of this year hospital discharge letters will be sent to G.P.s electronically. Louise Laing raised the issue of a patient’s lost paper record. The patient had been diagnosed at the Victoria ACH Breast Clinic, operated on at the SGH and had seen the oncologist at the ACH. At her return visit to the ACH oncologist she waited two hours to be told that her record had been mislaid and the oncologist confirmed this. The team had no explanation as to why the oncologist could not access the information through the portal !
On the issue of financial savings the single most important thing is to ensure that the existing facilities are used to their maximum.
The meeting ended with Richard Copland suggesting that the Health Forum drop him a letter inviting him to speak to the Forum on the paperlite system.
