MEDIA RELEASE 20 February 2014 rumpus

Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) announces the future model for children’s and maternity services at The Friarage Hospital,

NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has today published its plans for the future of children’s and maternity services at The Friarage Hospital.

Following a three month public consultation process, and rigorous clinical reviews, the CCG’s Council of Members (a representative from each GP practice in the area) voted unanimously in favour of Option 1 which will mean:

 Opening a Midwifery Led Unit (MLU)  Developing a Paediatric Short Stay Assessment Unit (PSSAU)  Continuing to deliver community paediatric nursing and consultant paediatric outpatient services at The Friarage Hospital.

Option 1 was also the preferred option of 95% of members of the public who took part in the CCG’s online survey.

Three new proposals were submitted during the consultation, two from members of the public and one from Richmondshire District Council. All three new proposals were independently assessed by the National Clinical Advisory Team (NCAT) which concluded that whilst there were elements of the proposals that could be worked into the model for the future; none of them offered a complete clinically safe or sustainable plan.

The changes to the services the GPs decided will mean that children who are unwell can still be seen at The Friarage Hospital in the PSSAU which will be open between 10am and 10pm each day. Children who are very sick will be referred to the nearest major centre (such as The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, Darlington Memorial Hospital, Harrogate Hospital or Hospital) for specialist inpatient care.

Women who are at low risk of complications will now have the option to give birth in the new midwifery led unit at the Friarage Hospital supported by specialist midwives, offering a less medicalised model of delivery.

Women who are at higher risk of complications during labour will need to choose an alternative hospital to give birth at, to ensure they receive the most appropriate care from specialist teams with the most advanced facilities and expertise onsite. Antenatal care, such as ultrasound scans and assessments will take place at The Friarage Hospital, as will postnatal care and support. All community based maternity services such as clinics and home visiting will continue, offering care as close to home as possible.

Changes need to be made as the organisation responsible for funding these services, NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, have serious concerns about the future safety of these services.

They are worried that doctors at the Friarage will not be able to retain their clinical skills and develop new ones because there are not enough mums-to-be and children using the services.

Dr Vicky Pleydell, Chief Clinical Officer at NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby CCG, said: “The CCG, which is made up of all the GPs who work in this area, has worked hard to find a model for children’s and maternity services at the Friarage Hospital that will offer families services that are safe and robust and will last into the future. We have investigated models of service up and down the country, leaving no stone unturned. Other options we looked at did not conform to the high standards we feel it is right to aspire to for our patients. Our job as a CCG is to ensure we deliver safe high quality services for our patients. We cannot compromise on that.

“I’d like to thank everyone who took part in our public consultation. We received some very useful feedback which helped our local GPs come to their decision.

“At the Extraordinary Governing Body meeting on 27 February, we will be discussing the implementation of the new model.”

Commenting on the CCG’s decision, Professor Tricia Hart, Chief Executive of South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This has been a long and complex process which has stemmed from genuine clinical concerns around the safety and future sustainability of these services.

“Changing the way health services are run isn’t easy, particularly when they are held so dear by people. We know how much loved the Friarage Hospital is and understandably some people will be very disappointed that change has to happen but this will help to safeguard the quality of care our patients receive.”

Sue Jacques Chief Executive at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said: “We look forward to welcoming an increase in mothers and children from to the Trust.

“Based on our current deliveries and the expected increase, we will have capacity in terms of the environment already in place, likewise in paediatrics.

“We will continue to work with the CCG and South Tees Trust on the implementation of these new arrangements.”

The CCG will be holding an Extraordinary Governing Body Meeting in public at 10am on Thursday 27 February at The Yorkshire Suite, The Golden Lion Hotel, 114 High Street, Northallerton DL7 8PP.

The meeting, which is open to members of the public to observe, is being held for members of the CCG’s Governing Body to discuss the preferred option for the future of children’s and maternity services at The Friarage Hospital in Northallerton.

In accordance with the CCG’s constitution (the formal decision making process set nationally by NHS England), the preferred option has already been decided by the CCG’s Council of Members (a representative from every GP practice in the area). In order to be open and transparent and so the public can hear and understand the discussions that took place, the meeting was filmed and is available to watch on the CCG’s website.

The Governing Body’s role is to discuss the implementation of the preferred option and to officially ratify the decision.

At the beginning of the meeting the CCG will spend time answering any questions that have been submitted in advance by members of the public. If you would like to submit a question to the Governing Body, please do so by emailing [email protected] by 12pm on Wednesday 26 February.

An agenda for the meeting and supporting papers, including the full public consultation report and options for the future document for the meeting, are now available on the CCG’s website at: www.hambletonrichmondshireandwhitbyccg.nhs.uk

ENDS

For further information contact the NHS North Yorkshire and Humber CSU Communications Team on 0300 303 8394