New proposals around Weston hospital
Press Release from Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group HAVE YOUR SAY ON ‘HEALTHY WESTON’ HOSPITAL PROPOSALS.
Local residents are being invited to have their say on NHS proposals to create a stronger and more focused Weston Hospital at the heart of the local community.
The public consultation, launched today (13 February), follows 18 months of public engagement and discussion on the future of the hospital that has involved dozens of public meetings and hundreds of conversations with local people. The proposals – developed by doctors, in partnership with local people and hospital staff – are designed to better serve the needs of everyone in the local area, including a growing number of frail older people, young families with children, and people affected by mental illness.
Under the proposals, 24/7 urgent and emergency care would continue to be provided at Weston Hospital, but in a different way. The current temporary A&E opening times of 8am to 10pm would be made permanent, supported by an improved out-of-hours service and with more patients admitted directly onto wards overnight via GP referral. The proposals out for formal consultation also feature changes to the levels of emergency surgery and critical care that can be provided at Weston Hospital.
The proposals are supported by a range of improvements to local services, including plans to provide more routine surgery, such as knee and hip operations, at Weston Hospital. They also include enhancements to services for frail and older people, children’s urgent care services, mental health services and primary care (GP services) in the Weston and Worle area.
Local GP and Medical Director at Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, Dr Martin Jones said:
“We want a 21st century NHS for people in Weston and the surrounding areas and that means providing more of the services people need most often.
“While urgent and emergency care would continue to be provided for local people around the clock, we would also be offering more planned surgery and chemotherapy, so that people don’t have to travel as far for their regular treatment.
“Our longer-term vision is for a local health and care service that is integrated, responsive and fully reflective of local people’s needs. For example, we have more young families moving to the area, so it’s important that we increase the provision of specialist children’s urgent care.
“We also have a large number of people over the age of 70 in the area, and so we are developing a new frailty service that will ensure older people get the right care from mixed teams of doctors, nurses, therapists and social care workers – both in the hospital, but increasingly in the community.
“We believe that together these changes will help us deliver the high-quality services we need now and in the future, and I hope everyone with an interest in the local NHS will take the time to share their views with us.”
The public consultation runs until midday on Friday 24 May 2019 and copies of the consultation document will be available at local GP practices, pharmacies, libraries and community centres. Copies can also be downloaded from the ‘Healthy Weston’ web pages at https://bnssghealthiertogether.org.uk/healthyweston/
A number of public engagement events and roadshows will also be held providing further opportunities to hear more about the proposals and share views.
These include:
26 February – Winter Gardens, Weston, 6.30-8.30pm
5 March – The For All Healthy Living Centre, Weston, 6.30-8.30pm
13 March – Winscombe, 6.30-8.30pm (venue TBC – check website for details)
14 March – Princess Theatre, Burnham, 6.30-8.30pm
19 March – Fairlands Middle School, Cheddar, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
7 May – The Campus, Worle, 6.30-8.30pm
9 May – Somerset Hall, Portishead, 6.30-8.30pm
15 May – United Reformed Church, Nailsea, 6.30-8.30pm
16 May – Congresbury (venue TBC – check website for details)
21 May – Princes Hall Community Centre, Clevedon, 6.30-8.30pm
23 May – Winter Gardens, Weston, 6.30-8.30pm
To book your place please contact the Healthy Weston team at:
https://bnssghealthiertogether.org.uk/healthyweston/get-involved-in-healthy-weston/
No decisions on the future shape of services will be made until later this year.
At Weston General Hospital the proposals outline:
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Making permanent the current A&E opening times of 8am to 10pm as part of a renewed way of delivering 24/7 urgent and emergency care (boosted by GP out-of-hours service and more direct admission of patients onto hospital wards by GPs)
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Continuing to provide emergency surgery during the day for patients with a wide range of conditions and who need up to and including ‘Level 2’* critical care following emergency surgery. People requiring immediate emergency surgery overnight, or those requiring Level 3 critical care, would be taken to larger specialist hospitals in Bristol or Taunton under the proposals
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Continuing to provide intensive care for most patients who need it – for those whom doctors have assessed as needing Level 2 or Level 1 critical care. And doctors at Weston General Hospital would still have the skills and capacity to assess, stabilise and transfer patients likely to need Level 3 critical care, who would be taken directly or transferred after stabilisation to neighbouring hospitals.
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