Members' News
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Members’ news Developing urgent care services across Dorset Dear Members, Also in this edition, we describe the services which Dorset Healthcare has Minister of Health & Social Care Matt Hancock been developing to prevent unnecessary recently approved plans for Poole Hospital to admissions to hospital of people with become the centre for planned operations and deteriorating health or in frail condition. treatments in Dorset, and for the Royal Bourne- We are working with GPs to identify mouth Hospital to become the major emergency them so we can offer full health and care care centre. Some of us are pleased that this plan assessments to ensure they get the help can now go ahead, with a £147 million investment they need before a crisis occurs. These patients and of Treasury money in the development of both their families can then be relieved of the stress of hospitals. But there are still many people in the emergency situations at home or of getting to a busy west of the county worried they would not be able acute hospital. In turn, GPs and A&E departments feel to reach the new A & E department at Bournemouth better supported by the strengthening of imaginative quickly enough if they felt they needed it. community health support. It is too early yet to evaluate whether these services are effective in reducing the pressures on GPs and in A&E departments, which have been so widely publicised in the media. But we think this innovative approach should be a win/win for both patients and clinicians. I want these members’ newsletters to provide information which you find useful; please let us know if there is any service or condition that you would like to hear about. I would value hearing your experience Dorset Healthcare is not responsible for providing of using any of our services and any recommendations those acute services for life-threatening illness you have for any improving or innovating community and injury, but we are leading on the provision of health provision. urgent treatment and care for communities outside Jan Owens, Lead Governor the conurbation. We highlighted ways you can access urgent care services in the last issue of Members’ News – by phoning 111 for advice and guidance, or by attending the Minor Injuries Unit/ Urgent Care Centre at a local community hospital. In line with this, you can find ‘Help us to Help You’ information on the back page. Spotlight on services Support for people Helping people live Health priorities for in west Dorset on the streets with diabetes local children – page 3 – page 4 – page 6 – page 7 Governor profile Spread the word about In April last year the nine councils across Trust membership! Dorset merged into two – Bournemouth, Poole and We are always looking for more members at Christchurch (BCP) Council and Dorset Council. Dorset HealthCare – it will help us to understand Dorset HealthCare works closely with both these and respond to the needs of our local communities new councils, particularly with social care teams more effectively. for adults, children and young people. Have you told friends and family members about Each council nominates a representative to sit as the benefits of joining the Trust? a Dorset HealthCare Governor and bring the They will be able to: perspective and views of the local authorities into our discussions. They are Cllr Nick Ireland (Dorset have a say in what we do and help shape Council) and Cllr Chris Matthews (BCP Council). our future plans These Governors help to ensure that we are receive great discounts through the working together across organisations to provide shopping website Health Service Discounts – the best support we can for local people. including money-saving deals on travel, clothes, restaurants, utility bills, gym Here, Cllr Ireland talks about his background and membership and much more. role on the Council of Governors. receive regular information and updates in our membership e-newsletter come along to Trust events, including “I became a partner our Annual Members' Meeting each autumn. governor to Dorset Healthcare following last Membership is completely free, and anyone over year’s Dorset Council the age of 11 living in Dorset can join. elections, although I It will take just a few minutes to complete an have been the liaison application form. You can find it online, along with member to the Trust for more information, at www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/ the Dorset (County) join-us-1/members Council Health Scrutiny Committee since 2017. If you want to request a printed form, call us on Freephone “My professional career 0808 100 3318. is in IT, although I juggle that with my duties as a councillor. In addition, I’ve been the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on DCC and subsequently DC, since January 2018. “I have a keen interest in healthcare provision. My wife is a nurse, working mostly in acute care that includes roles at Dorset County Hospital and Save the date! now in Yeovil, and her relatives span the spectrum Our next members event will take of the profession. One of my daughters works for place in Christchurch on 18 March. the NHS Confederation, and the other recently graduated as a doctor from Nottingham University We will send you an email detailing the venue and and has started working at St. Mary’s Hospital content for the day shortly, but for now please put in London. the date in your diaries. “I am concerned that the outcomes of Dorset And this year’s Annual Members’ Meeting will CCG’s Clinical Services Review predominantly take place on 21 October. concentrate services in the East of Dorset. I want to ensure the population outside of the conurbation If there is anything you would particularly like to continue to receive the services under the NHS hear about at these events, drop us a line at umbrella that they both need and deserve.” [email protected]. 2 Spotlight on west Dorset At Dorset HealthCare, we divide the delivery of our North Dorset services into localities covering the east and west of We have been heavily involved in the first wave the county. Here is an update on some important of population health research undertaken in service developments in the west. Dorset – for north Dorset, this has looked at better Weymouth and Portland management of frailty. Our teams have identified people with deteriorating health and increasing Early in January, we launched a mobile urgent care GP contacts and hospital admissions, and service. Three advanced practitioners, based at provided them with multi-disciplinary assessments Westhaven Hospital, are visiting frail and elderly and person-centred people in their own homes – visits that would care planning. normally be undertaken by GP practices. This has seen the This means visits can be done earlier in the day, launch of a ‘what and the team can link in with other services at matters most’ Westhaven to support people at home and avoid project – working the need for hospital admission. The initial with patients and response to the service has been very positive, their carers to really and you can watch a video about it at understand what https://binged.it/30mgTK3 matters to them, and how we can best support them to be independent for as long as possible. Mid Dorset In recent months, each of Dorset’s acute hospitals has been struggling with high numbers of attendances and admissions. All our teams have been working hard to tackle this by West Dorset preventing unnecessary admissions and Last summer we took over provision of community supporting timely discharge of people home. services in Lyme Regis and Charmouth (from Mid Dorset’s Integrated Community Rehab Virgin Health Care). This means that all west Team has been working closely with Dorset Dorset community services are now provided County Hospital (below) – basing staff in A&E by Dorset HealthCare. and the acute admissions unit to assess patients We work in partnership with Lyme Bay Medical and link with our other hubs and community Practice (below), providing a host of services hospital wards to prevent admissions wherever from one accessible location. We also have four possible. They have attended DCH’s delayed community beds in Lyme Regis Nursing Home for discharge meetings as part of work to help people people who need rehabilitation or end-of-life care. get home, with support, as quickly as possible. 3 New van offers refuge and support to people on the streets Vulnerable young people, sex workers and others successfully bid for more than £5,300 to get at risk of harm and exploitation on the streets of the idea off the ground and Pauline Smyth, Bournemouth can now seek help and advice from our DWWP Co-ordinator, said it’s already a new outreach van service. making a big difference. Dorset Working Women’s Project (DWWP), part of “The van has been a fantastic addition to our our sexual health services, hits the road in the van service. It provides a much needed support to three nights a week to provide physical, emotional a vulnerable and marginalised group, in a safer and sexual health support to those in need. and more comfortable environment,” she said. Offering a warm and comfortable environment, “It has improved the relationship and including seats and blankets, the van offers a place communication we have with our service users, of safety and refuge where visitors can discuss their giving them a safe place to access the services problems and be signposted to a range of local we offer, as well as providing a confidential and services which can help.