What Do People Think About the Proposals for Urgent Treatment Centres in Leeds? Engagement Dates: 21St January 2019 – 15Th April 2019
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
What do people think about the proposals for urgent treatment centres in Leeds? Engagement dates: 21st January 2019 – 15th April 2019 Dr Fiona Fylan NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group 02 What do people think about the proposals for urgent treatment centres in Leeds? Contents 1. Executive Summary 02 2. Background information 06 a) Why are we doing this? 07 b) What urgent care services can people access at the moment? 07 c) Where did the plans for five urgent treatment centres come from? 08 d) How you may be able to access the new urgent treatment centres? 08 3. How did we identify and engage with people? 09 4. Who did we speak to? 11 5. What did people tell us? 13 a) Are people confident they can select the right service? 14 b) Will the proposed changes make it easier to access urgent care? 16 c) Are the locations and opening hours right? 20 d) Are there any other ways to improve access to urgent health care? 22 e) What are the views of people who face additional challenges? 23 6. Equality impact analysis 24 7. Conclusions 27 8. What will we do with the information? 29 Appendix 1: Organisations the CCG worked with on the engagement 31 Appendix 2: Where survey respondents live 34 03 NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group 1. Executive Summary 04 What do people think about the proposals for urgent treatment centres in Leeds? 1. Executive Summary Executive Summary The NHS in Leeds plans to provide five urgent People who were unsure reported that the centres treatment centres which will treat people who need could improve access but only if they are easy to get healthcare urgently but it’s not an emergency. This to and use, have a good range of facilities, and are covers a wide range of situations, such as cuts, insect communicated well to the general public. When asked bites, sprains and strains, fevers, and vomiting. It specifically about the locations and opening hours of is hoped urgent treatment centres will address the centres, people preferred to have the centres close two problems: (1) a lot of people go to Accident and to where they live, with some highlighting how there Emergency (A&E) because they’re not sure where to is no centre in west Leeds or Wetherby. However, 72% go for urgent care or because they say they can’t get believed that Seacroft is the correct location of the fifth a GP appointment; and (2) to meet anticipated future site. Most people (77%) believed that the opening hours demand as more people will live with long-term for community-based urgent treatment centres (8am- health problems who may periodically need urgent 11pm) is right, although some suggested that an earlier care. The proposals will see three centres based in the opening time would be useful for those with family or community: St George’s Centre in Middleton (which work responsibilities. It was also suggested that if the is already open); Wharfedale Hospital in Otley; and community-based centres are to relieve pressure on east Leeds, probably Seacroft. These are likely to open A&E they should be open later than 11pm. Some wanted seven days a week between 8am and 11pm. There will all centres to be open 24/7. be two centres based alongside the city’s two A&E departments: Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Statistical analysis of the data shows that the proposals Hospital. These will be open 24 hours a day, seven are not discriminatory, and indeed, have a more positive days a week. The clinical commissioning group (CCG) impact on people with a disability and people who have asked people in Leeds to give their feedback on the recently given birth. plans for urgent treatment centres and this report summarises what people told them. The formal engagement provides support for the proposed urgent treatment centres, although the There were three ways that people could give feedback CCG should: on the plans: completing a survey either online or in paper format; commenting using social media; and 1. Consider whether the community-based centres talking to representatives of the CCG at one of the could open earlier than 8am; six formal events and fifteen drop-in sessions held 2. Review whether there is sufficient access for around the city in February and March 2019. In addition, people who live in west Leeds and Wetherby; Voluntary Action Leeds – a local community and 3. Ensure that the range of facilities available in the voluntary sector organisation commissioned by NHS urgent treatment centres (including for mental Leeds CCG – ran a series of focus groups with specific health) means that people see them as a credible groups of people who often face challenges accessing alternative to A&E; healthcare, and Healthwatch Leeds sought additional 4. Produce and publicise a decision aid to help people feedback with people who have a visual impairment. identify when it is appropriate to use the urgent treatment centres. NHS Leeds CCG successfully engaged with a large 5. Ensure that there are good public transport links number of people, including those who face challenges to the centres, ample parking, and consider how in accessing health care and can sometimes find it it might be possible to help people with mobility difficult sharing their views about services. A total of problems to travel to them; 3227 people completed the survey. The results provide 6. Design the layout of the centres to make them easy evidence that there is confusion about what urgent for people with disabilities or sensory impairments care means and how to access it. There is strong to use; support for the proposed urgent treatment centres: 7. Ensure that there is training and support for staff most people (63%) believe that they will improve to communicate with diverse people and those access, 13% that they will have no effect, 5% that they with special needs (e.g. who have mental health will make access more difficult and 19% are unsure. problems, who have learning difficulties, who are Reasons why they will improve access include that they D/deaf or hard of hearing, and who have autism). will make it clearer where people should go if they need urgent care, they will increase choice and capacity, and they will provide a convenient and realistic alternative to seeking care from GP practices. Reasons for not improving access are that people already find it easy to access care, the centres are not located where they live, that people don’t intend to change what they currently do, and that they believe adding another option for urgent care is confusing. 05 NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group 2. Background information 06 What do people think about the proposals for urgent treatment centres in Leeds? 2. Background information Background information a) Why are we doing this? We know that people can be confused about where to go if they need healthcare urgently but it’s not What is urgent care? an emergency. A lot of people go to Accident and Urgent care is when somebody needs treatment Emergency (A&E) because they’re not sure what to do on the same day but their illness or injury is not life or they say they can’t get an appointment with their threatening or doesn’t put their long-term health at GP. Around one in five people who are treated in A&E risk. This covers a wide range of situations, such as would be better off seeking help another way. This is cuts, bites, sprains and strains, fevers, and vomiting. making A&E very busy and people usually wait a long time to be seen. The situation will get worse in the future as we expect there to be more people with long- What is emergency care? term health problems. NHS England (the organisation Emergency care is needed in a medical emergency that oversees planning and funding services for the when life or long-term health is at risk. Examples are NHS across England) has asked for at least one urgent serious injuries, severe infections, blood loss, chest treatment centre to be opened in each town or city. pains, choking or passing out. Leeds is considering opening five different urgent treatment centres. The clinical commissioning group (the organisation that plans and funds local NHS services) asked people in Leeds to give their feedback on the plans for urgent treatment centres and this report summarises what people told them. b) What urgent care services can people access at the moment? At the moment there are many different ways that people can get urgent care. • Self care is when people manage their own • Walk-in centres are used to access care without condition, for example they may buy over-the- an appointment for minor illnesses and medical counter medicines. concerns that aren’t emergencies such as coughs, chest infections, fevers, sore throats and • Pharmacists are highly trained medical headaches. There is currently one walk-in centre professionals who can offer advice if you are in Leeds: the Shakespeare walk-in centre based at feeling unwell or have a minor injury such as Burmantofts Health Centre a sprain and can advise on medications. Every pharmacy (or chemist shop) has a pharmacist • Minor injury units deal with cuts, bites, sprains, working there. bone, muscle or joint injuries. There is currently one minor injury unit in Leeds based at • GP practices can provide same-day appointments Wharfedale Hospital. or walk-in clinics with a doctor or nurse. Some are open during evenings and weekends, although • St George’s urgent treatment centre is also it can be difficult to be seen on the same day in for people with minor injuries and illnesses.