The Panel considered the report of the Senior
Manager (Customer and Business Improvement) providing details of
the proposed temporary transfer of elderly care beds from
Southampton General Hospital to Royal South Hants. (Copy of the report circulated with
the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).
Dr Sandeman,
Southampton General Hospital and Mr Richards, Southampton City
Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) were present and briefed the
Panel on the present situation.
The Panel noted the following:-
- that the
rationale for the move was the increased demand for urgent care
leading to a knock on effect on waiting times for elective surgery.
Southampton General Hospital was under pressure with bed capacity
running at 103% occupancy compared with national guidelines of 85%
and they were having to cope by cancelling surgical
procedures;
- that the environment at Southampton
General Hospital, whilst meeting the required standards, was not
ideal for elderly care as all the space was utilised as bed
space. Royal South Hants
Hospital was a much better environment for elderly patients;
- that CCG’s concerns relating to the transfer of
patients, their safety and quality of care, adequate staffing and
correct environment had been mitigated and in August they had
subsequently agreed that they would be willing to support the move
as a short term expedient measure, subject to certain provisos.
It was recognised that the move
was not a long term solution to the
problem and there was a wider strategic aim to tackle the issue of
unscheduled/urgent care demand in the
Southampton area and implement whole system changes to deal with
the capacity issues in accordance with the Emergency Care Intensive
Support Team’s recommendations;
- that it
was important that the transfer of patients to the temporary ward
was undertaken as soon as possible to ensure winter pressures could
be address. A review of the success of the initiative so far
should take place in January 2013;
- that the
creation of an additional ward was not the right model of care, but
a temporary measure implemented to assist with the
current crisis. It was important that a long-term strategic plan
be put in place to change adult care pathways in order that the
right level of care was received at the right place and that
Southampton General Hospital was developed not only as a
specialised centre but as a good hospital for the City;
- that HOSP
members were invited to visit the ward at Royal South Hants on
10th October.
RESOLVED that after
consideration of the issues:-
(i)
the Panel were satisfied that the transfer of elderly care beds
from Southampton General Hospital to Royal South should go ahead
for a temporary period of 6 months;
(ii)
that a copy of the report of the Emergency Care Intensive Support
Team current review into the health system in Southampton would be
forwarded to panel members as soon as it was received; and
(iii)
that a follow up review report on the
situation would be tabled at the HOSP meeting on 31 January 2013.
The January meeting would also
consider the wider issue of capacity within the health system.