Helping patients to stay at home

PATIENTS across Wiltshire will benefit from a new scheme to help them continue living healthily at home for longer, which will also help reduce unnecessary admissions to hospitals.

The new service, jointly run by Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group, sees 23 new care co-ordinators based in GP surgeries across Wiltshire to help patients who have been identified as being at high risk of hospital admission.

Full Article on Wiltshire Times

Debate held about health in Devizes

DEVIZES MP Claire Perry is inviting residents to attend health care forums and raise any issues of concern they may have.

Mrs Perry held health forums last year and said the format would remain the same, with people able to question health professionals about local health care provision.

Panellists at the meetings will include representatives from Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS trusts, GPs and Wiltshire Council.

Mrs Perry said: “Health care matters are one of the most frequently raised topics with me by my constituents and, following the success of the 2012 health care forums, I am delighted that local health professionals have once again agreed to join me at open meetings to discuss health care issues.

“I hope as many constituents as possible will come along.”

The forums are at Wellington Academy, Tidworth, on Monday, September 23, from 6.30pm to 8pm; St John’s School, Marlborough, on Thursday, September 26, from 7.30pm to 9pm and Devizes School on Thursday, October 3, from 6.30pm to 8pm.

Article from Gazette & Herald

Devizes MP to launch new series of health forums

Devizes MP Claire Perry is once again hosting local healthcare meetings in Tidworth, Marlborough and Devizes to enable people across the Devizes Constituency to question health professionals about local healthcare provision and issues.

Panellists at the open meetings will include senior representatives from the Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group and local NHS Trusts and service providers, GPs and Wiltshire Council.

Mrs Perry said: "Healthcare matters are one of the most frequently raised topics with me by my constituents and following the success of the 2012 healthcare forums I am delighted that local health professionals have once again agreed to join me at open meetings to discuss healthcare issues.

"I hope as many constituents as possible will come along – everyone is welcome and entry is free of charge."

Article from Gazette & Herald

Wiltshire's three main hospitals fare well in Friends and Families test

All three acute hospitals serving Wiltshire performed well in the new Friends and Family Test.

The initiative, introduced by NHS England three months ago, asks patients who have attended Accident and Emergency units or who stay at least one night on an inpatient ward how likely they are to recommend the hospital to friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment.

Patients can choose from one of six answers, ranging from ‘extremely likely’ to ‘extremely unlikely.’

Full Article on Wiltshire Times

Action vowed over dementia in Wiltshire

NHS bosses in Wiltshire say they are making improvements to diagnosing dementia after finding patients waited up to 12 months.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists recommends that patients should wait no longer than six weeks for a formal diagnosis.

GP Magazine found that in 37 out of 97 Clinical Commiss-ioning Groups (CCGs), patients waited more than six weeks for a formal diagnosis. In Wiltshire, patients waited up to 12 months in 2012/13 because of a backlog in cases and delays to CT scans.

Full Article on Wiltshire Times

Wiltshire's Clinical Commissioning Group is 100 days old

Last week the National Health Service celebrated its sixty-fifth birthday – a distinctly wobbly anniversary. This week Wiltshire’s GP-led Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG - which replaced the Primary Care Trust - PCT) is a hundred days young.

It is, of course, far too early to attempt a report on the CCG’s progress. As a commentator said recently, changing anything in the NHS is like turning round the proverbial super tanker.

However work is going ahead in Wiltshire CCG with some speed. One advance being rolled out across the county is a programme to speed up dementia diagnosis.  Improvements in the care of those with dementia is a much more complex and wide-reaching problem.

Full Article on Marlborough News Online

GPs 'should take control of personal health budgets'

GP practices should be put in charge of administering direct payments to patients as part of the personal health budget scheme, a leading think-tank has recommended in a report launched by the care minister overseeing the initiative.

Under proposals suggested by 2020health, which were launched today by health minister Norman Lamb, GPs would be subcontracted by CCGs in certain cases to make ‘small discretionary payments’ to patients as part of the personal health budget scheme, with the practices taking responsibility for the administration of the budgets. In the pilot, the GP role was limited to making referrals and recommendations.

The authors, who looked at the DH’s analysis of the pilot results published last year as well as at data stemming directly from the pilot areas, came out strongly in support of personal budgets for mental health patients and those requiring continuing care. They also said it should in future be rolled out for arthritic patients, for haemodialysis transport and falls prevention.

Full Article on Pulse Today

All change in Swindon and Wiltshire's NHS services as GPs take charge

THE STRUCTURE of the NHS will change dramatically from Monday when GPs will be handed the responsibility of planning and buying health services.

The latest shake up in the NHS, which will see GPs lead Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), was announced in 2010 soon after the coalition Government came into power.

The aim was to reduce the number of managers and administrators in NHS organisations and use the expertise of front line clinicians in shaping health services. 

Full Article on This is Wiltshire

NHS failing people with learning disabilities, says report

People with learning disabilities are dying on average 16 years earlier than they should, because the NHS does not properly investigate and treat their physical complaints, an inquiry has found.

A confidential inquiry into deaths in the south-west, carried out by Bristol University academics and funded by the Department of Health, has revealed stark inequalities and recommends the creation of a review body to investigate and monitor learning disability deaths across the UK.

The charity Mencap estimates from the review findings that more than 1,200 children and adults die every year because they are not getting proper NHS care. More than a third (37%) are not getting the healthcare they should.

Full Article on Guardian Society

NHS could charge fee to call out doctor

The proposals are being outlined as a way of tackling the financial hole in the accounts of the Health Service.

The moves sparked outrage with claims they amount to a patients’ tax and undermine the “free at point of use” principle of the NHS.

There are also fears that ill patients will be discouraged from seeking treatment.

The NHS Confederation, which represents all Health Service trusts, outlined the proposals as a way of generating extra funds.

Full Article on Telegraph

Plans for surgery at Melksham community campus

St Damien's doctors’ surgery in Melksham could be incorporated into the new Melksham Community Campus, according to new proposals from Wiltshire Council.

At yesterday's Melksham Area Board meeting chairman of the board Jonathon Seed confirmed discussions were in place to move the Spa Road surgery into the new facility at Melksham House.

He said: “We are delighted these discussions are taking place. On-site medical provision is precisely the type of community service that we want operating from the campus, it will complement the other facilities perfectly.

Full Article on Wiltshire Times

Wiltshire GPs examine ways to make savings

Minor injury services and hip and knee replacements in Wiltshire are being reviewed by GPs who will be taking over the responsibility of organising and buying local health services.

Details of the reviews emerged at a public meeting in Devizes on Saturday, held to explain the changes in the NHS that begin to take effect in April.

The main change will be that NHS Wiltshire (the Primary Care Trust) will be abolished and replaced by Wiltshire Clinical Commiss-ioning Group (CCG), comprising mainly GPs, which will have a budget of about £500million.

Full Article on Wiltshire Times

New enlarged ambulance service takes over in Wiltshire

A SINGLE ambulance service now covers the whole of the south west.

The enlarged South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) came into existence today following its acquisition of the Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS), which covered Wiltshire.

SWASFT, which previously covered Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, now covers Wiltshire as well as Gloucestershire and the former Avon district.

Full Article on Salisbury Journal

Cancer patients asked for advice

CANCER patients and their carers are being asked to help shape the service to improve it for future users.

The cancer service, based at Great Western Hospital, benefits from the active involvement of those who have been treated at the hospital as well as those who support them - and more people who want to take part are always welcome.

Free information sessions are being held on February 8 and March 9 and will cover the basic structure of cancer services in the NHS. Both sessions will take place at Nuffield Orthopaedic centre, Windmill Road, Headington, Oxford.

For more information email Sarah Pyne at sarah.pyne@nhs.net

Article taken from This is Wiltshire

Wiltshire one of lowest counties in country for health funding

Wiltshire councillor Keith Humphries says he is satisfied with the amount of money allocated for public health by the Government, despite the county being one of the lowest funded.

Of the 152 councils in England only ten have received less money than Wiltshire.

Councils take over running public health services in April from the NHS. The Government has allocated budgets to councils for the next two years with more money for areas with the worst health outcomes.

Full Article on Wiltshire Times

Postcode lottery fears over CCG

FEARS have been expressed that a postcode lottery will emerge with the setting up of the new Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) for Wiltshire.

The group, comprising mainly GPs, will from next April take over organising and buying many of the health services for people in Wiltshire from NHS Wiltshire. There were originally three CCGs in Wiltshire but earlier this year GPs decided to have one CCG serving the county.

Despite this, the GPs will continue to have three individual sub-groups that will meet regularly and are in the process of recruiting three directors on salaries of £77,000-£97,478. The three groups cover the south, west (including Devizes) and north east of Wiltshire, not including Swindon.

Full Article on Gazette & Herald

CONSULTATION: Wiltshire's joint health and wellbeing strategy

From April 2013, Wiltshire will have a new Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

The strategy will set out the areas on which the different organisations in Wiltshire will be working together so that people have the support they need to live longer, healthier lives.

The Wiltshire-wide response on improving the health of the public and providing care to children and adults will need to be in line with the strategy. As will the work of the Clinical Commissioning Group (the organisation led by a group of GPs, responsible for buying the healthcare we need) and the NHS Commissioning Board (the national body responsible for sourcing specialist healthcare, including the services provided to patients by GPs). Joint commissioning plans will be developed to provide more detail on how the outcomes will be delivered.

The work on the strategy will be overseen by a new Health and Wellbeing Board. The Board members will work together to understand Wiltshire’s needs, agree local priorities and encourage commissioners (those responsible for designing and paying for services) to work in a joined up way. The Board will involve leading councillors as well as patient representatives (through Healthwatch Wiltshire) and will bring these together with local commissioners from health, public health, and children and adults’ social care sectors. By working in this way the Board aims to significantly strengthen the democratic basis of decisions, as well as offering a way of involving local people.

• Wiltshire's Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy - Draft for Consultation 1mb
• Wiltshire's Joint Healh and Wellbeing Strategy - Consultation survey - Closing date 14 February 2013

Taken from Wiltshire Council's website

Survey reveals long wait for dementia diagnosis in Wiltshire

Wiltshire charity Alzheimer’s Support has published a survey into people’s experiences of being diagnosed with dementia in the county.

The survey revealed people wait more than a year before seeking help for memory problems – and then spend another year on waiting lists before being given a diagnosis.

Wiltshire was already known as one of the worst performing PCT areas for dementia diagnosis, with 33 per cent currently diagnosed.  The survey revealed that a nine-month wait for an initial assessment was now typical, followed by a further four to five month wait for diagnosis by a consultant.  Many are turning to private clinics to avoid waiting lists.

The report also shows that people wait on average 16 months before going to see their GP. The most common reason for the delay was ‘thinking memory loss was normal so there was nothing to worry about.’

A separate survey of GPs found high levels of frustration at ‘disgraceful’ waiting times for the specialist memory clinics. When asked how the situation could be improved, many called for more funding for memory clinics. Others said it was time to re-organise services so that GPs could diagnose and prescribe for dementia themselves – a solution currently being explored in a pilot project by NHS Wiltshire and the new Clinical Commissioning Group.

Anna Littlechild, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Support, said: “This report shows how far we have to go to improve the situation for people with dementia and their carers in Wiltshire. 

“The memory clinics offer a potentially excellent service, with highly skilled specialist staff, but they appear to be at breaking point.

“It is important that people get diagnosed early in their illness because then they can make choices about their treatment, have memory enhancing drugs in some cases, and plan for the future.  If dementia is picked up early and the type of dementia diagnosed accurately, there is much that can be done to improve quality of life for person themselves and their families.”

Dr Steve Rowlands, Chair of the Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group said: “This is a revealing report.  Wiltshire CCG will work constructively with Alzheimer’s Support to ensure the project is fulfilled, and we look forward working on the next steps.”

Alzheimer’s Support is now planning a year-long project to support people worried about memory loss. The charity will be recruiting and training volunteers to help spread the word about the differences between dementia and normal ageing in GP surgeries and sheltered housing schemes.

The report and project are funded by Comic Relief with additional funding for the project from Wiltshire Council and NHS Wiltshire. See the full report at www.alzheimerswiltshire.org.uk

Take-up of flu jab drops

Many people who risk becoming seriously ill if they get the flu have not yet been vaccinated against it.

The number of pensioners who have received the vaccination has fallen from the same period last year, as has the number of other "at risk" patients who are under the age of 65 and suffer from various medical conditions.

By the end of last week, 48.9% of patients in England aged 65 or older had had the flu jab, while in the same week in 2011, the take-up was 54.8%.

Full Article on Guardian Society

Time to nominate your unsung heroes of NHS in Wiltshire

PATIENTS and staff are being asked to name their NHS hero in a national scheme to celebrate unsung workers.

Anyone who works within the NHS can be nominated for making a difference. It could be a volunteer making a cup of tea, a nurse taking extra time to listen or a colleague who always lifts the spirit of their team.

Oonagh Fitzgerald, director of workforce and education at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I want the fantastic staff we have working across Swindon and Wiltshire to get the recognition they deserve for the good work they do every day of the year.

Full Article on This is Wiltshire