Badenoch and Strathspey Community Hospital

Meeting: NHS Highland Board Meeting date: 30 March 2021 Title: Naming of B&S Community Hospital Responsible Executive/Non-Executive: Deborah Jones, Senior Responsible Officer Report Author: Kenny Rodgers, Project Director, B&S Service Redesign

1 Purpose This is presented to the Board for:  Decision

This report relates to a:  Planned decision

This aligns to the following NHSScotland quality ambition(s):  Effective  Person Centred

2 Report summary

2.1 Situation

The redesign of services in Badenoch and Strathspey has been progressing since November 2011. The redesign project has been through long standing community engagement, formal Scottish Government consultation and Business Case process. Central to the service redesign is the new community hospital currently under construction. The hospital construction will complete at the end of July 2021. Over the lengthy period of consultation and redesign, local communities have requested that the name of the new hospital reflects a service for all of the people in Badenoch and Strathspey.

The closure of St Vincent’s Hospital in Kingussie and Ian Charles Hospital in Grantown on Spey represents the end of an era for many people living and working in these towns and neighbouring villages.

Respectful discussion with communities across Badenoch and Strathspey has culminated in the proposed name for the new hospital being ‘Badenoch and Strathspey Community Hospital.

Page 1 of 4 The Board of NHS Highland is asked to ratify the proposed name supported by local communities in Badenoch and Strathspey.

2.2 Background Engagement was carried out in the early stages, of the Badenoch and Strathspey Project in respect of the naming of the hospital. Following the major service change consultation in 2014, the name ‘Badenoch & Strathspey Community Hospital’ was agreed with the Badenoch and Strathspey Healthcare Redesign Development Group.

The redesign of services in Badenoch and Strathspey has involved local people and their elected representatives since 2012.

The Badenoch and Strathspey Healthcare Redesign Development Group was set up in early 2013 with the purpose of co-developing the initial model of care with NHS Highland. This group comprised local authority members, community council representatives, local healthcare interest groups, third sector partners, Highland Council and Scottish Ambulance service as well as NHS managers and staff.

In early 2014, the development group identified a preferred option for consultation - the proposed closure of two existing community hospitals in Badenoch and Strathspey, the construction of a new hospital and investment in community services.

A formal period of consultation took place in April – July 2014 under Scottish Government Major Service Change process. This consultation involved local people on the proposed changes to health and social care services in Badenoch and Strathspey.

Overall, feedback received indicated that the majority of people had understood the reasons for change, how the proposals had been developed, and felt listened to and that there had been sufficient opportunity to take part in the consultation.

There were however some members of the community living in Grantown on Spey and Kingussie who were opposed to the closures of the existing community hospitals and were concerned that all services would migrate to Aviemore resulting in services becoming ‘centralised’.

Some members of the community described a sense of loss for community hospitals that had been central to community life for over a century.

Following the consultation, the Badenoch and Strathspey Healthcare Redesign Development Group revised the preferred option to ensure that the majority of existing community services will remain in Grantown on Spey and Kingussie (eg Physiotherapy, Minor Injury), community services would be enhanced across Badenoch and Strathspey (eg End of Life Care and Care at Home) and the hospital being proposed centrally in Aviemore would positively promote healthcare for the whole of Badenoch and Strathspey.

Prior to the commencement of the business case process, the Badenoch and Strathspey Healthcare Redesign Development Group and Project Team agreed to use the term ‘Badenoch

Page 2 of 4 and Strathspey Community Hospital’ to describe the proposed new hospital in respect for the communities that were concerned about centralisation of services. The term has been used in common parlance since late 2014.

The Scottish Government business case process commenced in 2015 and the final business case was approved in 2017. Throughout the business case process the proposed hospital was described as the ‘Badenoch and Strathspey Community Hospital’.

Meetings with Community Councils between 2015 and 2019 have raised ongoing concerns from some local people in respect of centralisation of services and closure of the existing community hospitals. Reassurance from Health Board Officers has been ongoing to alleviate these concerns and continue to outline the new hospital as serving the whole of Badenoch and Strathspey.

Construction of the new hospital commenced in July 2019 and will be completed in July 2021.

2.3 Assessment

Discussion and consultation with local communities in B&S has been progressing for many years and whilst challenging at times, have been respectful and productive.

Community involvement has been successful and local people have been involved in helping to mould the proposed model of care resulting in a feeling of empowerment that has helped to alleviate some of the concerns around the closure of the existing hospitals.

Local community representative continue to be involved in Project Team meetings and aspects of the hospital design (e.g. therapy garden, art strategy and access matters).

The early use of the name ‘Badenoch and Strathspey Community Hospital’ was a small but important way of describing the new hospital whilst respecting the concerns of local communities that services would be centralised in Aviemore.

2.3.1 Quality/ Patient Care Whilst the naming of a hospital does not impact directly on patient care, it is important that patients and staff feel an affiliation to the new hospital as well as a sense of belonging and clinical ownership of services provided there.

2.3.2 Workforce The naming of a hospital does not impact directly on workforce.

2.3.3 Financial N/A

2.3.4 Risk Assessment/Management The naming of the new hospital has been discussed and agreed in principle during the period of consultation and used in common parlance since 2014. It would be challenging for operational management to reopen discussions in respect of naming the new hospital.

Page 3 of 4 2.3.5 Equality and Diversity, including health inequalities The Project Team has sought views on the majority of issues in respect of the redesign from all groups. This was confirmed by Scottish Health Council in their report on major service change to Scottish Government. 2.3.6 Other impacts N/A

2.3.7 Communication, involvement, engagement and consultation The Project Team has sought views and opinions on all aspects of the service redesign from the following groups:

 Badenoch & Strathspey Healthcare Redesign Development Group  Major Service Change Consultation (public engagement)  Community Council Meetings  Representative Groups – e.g. Friends of Ian Charles, Friends of St Vincent’s  Badenoch & Strathspey Project Team  Business Case approval process

2.3.8 Route to the Meeting This has been previously considered by the following groups as part of its development. The groups have either supported the content, or their feedback has informed the development of the content presented in this report.

 Badenoch & Strathspey Healthcare Redesign Development Group  Badenoch and Strathspey Project Team

Confirmation received from EDG on 22 March 2021

2.4 Recommendation It is recommended that the Board approve the name ‘Badenoch and Strathspey Community Hospital’ for the new hospital based in Aviemore.

3 List of appendices

 N/A

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