The Ross Memorial Hospital Designing Services for the Future Steering Group - set up in September 2011 as part of a review of services provided from the hospital site - has held two workshops to involve local people in designing short, medium and longer term plans for the future of all services delivered from the site. Although there are challenges around the Ross Memorial Hospital building, this review is focusing on services rather than buildings.
Initially the focus was on the future of health services for older people and the 60 delegates, who attended the first workshop on October 26, identified what older people and their families want from services.
The findings from these discussions were then used to develop criteria for a non financial benefit scoring exercise held at the workshop on December 9.
A number of options were then suggested by the project team and during conversations with members of the public and staff. They were:-
• The status quo or minimum intervention
• Improving the hospital building to bring it up to standards
• Provide an integrated health and social care service with access to inpatient beds in a single new facility
• Building a new wing on the hospital to replace the inpatient medical beds
• Closing the inpatient medical beds and refocusing all resources on the development of a day hospital service and community support services
• Fewer inpatient medical beds provided in a different part of hospital with some refocusing of resources into the development of a day hospital service and community support services
• Closing the inpatient medical beds with services provided in a different hospital location, such as Raigmore or Invergordon
• Five day admission so no patients stay over the weekend with some refocusing of resources on community support services
The almost 60 delegates who attended the second workshop were asked to identify which options best met the criteria without taking the costs of each option into consideration. This work will follow at a later date.
The work of the steering group to date was presented to the Mid Highland CHP Committee by Locality General Manager Alison Phimister and steering group Chair, Highland Councillor Margaret Paterson, who is also a member of the CHP Committee.
Mrs Phimister explained that delegates identified what they considered important criteria on which to base a future service model.
She said: “There was considerable emphasis on the ability to remain as independent as possible for as long as possible supported in their own homes in the knowledge that services were there if needed.
“The findings from the non financial benefit scoring exercise identify the option that best meets the agreed benefit criteria to be one which provides integrated health and social care with voluntary sector input - a one stop shop for community and outreach services, including inpatient beds, on a single site and in a new facility.”
Mrs Phimister added that further analytical work was now required to inform the project report, including sensitivity analysis, risk and impact assessment and cost benefit analysis.
The committee noted the progress to date of the work being undertaken by the steering group and the findings of the two stakeholder workshops, including the non financial benefit scoring exercise.
And members confirmed that further analytical work now needs to be undertaken for each option.
Ends
Notes for editors:-
The following services are delivered from the Ross Memorial Hospital site:-
• Inpatient services predominantly for the elderly
• Rheumatology inpatient and day services including physiotherapy and occupational therapy
• Dental services
• A wide variety of out patient clinics
• X-ray services and Dexa scanning
• Out patient physiotherapy
• Casualty
• Out of Hours
The review of services provided from the Ross Memorial Hospital site will, in turn, inform a Highland-wide review to improve the quality of services, with a focus on prevention, anticipation of needs and supported self management, so that everyone is able to live longer healthier lives at home or in the community for as long as possible.
