Agenda item

This report from NHS Medway sets out a portfolio of plans for new or refurbished facilities to address health need, poor and temporary infrastructure and new populations arising from the regeneration agenda locally.  The Assistant Director (Property) will introduce the report by using a powerpoint presentation.

Discussion:

The Assistant Director (Property) NHS Medway introduced this report by using a powerpoint presentation.   She explained the reasons for developing the estates strategy and emphasised the importance of working with other key partners, including Medway Council, to make sure that the right infrastructure was put in place.

She stated that by greater collaboration with partners there could be rationalisation of the wider estate whilst still maintaining local access.  This was consistent with national policy around ensuring better use of facilities and would not necessarily result in short term solutions but over the ten year period of the strategy would be an influencing factor in the transformation of the estate.

The location of facilities was based on a 3 tier model.  Tier 1 relates to mostly single units, eg a GP practice, a community pharmacy, dental practice.   The aim was that the public should be within a ten minute walk of this option.

Tier 2 relates to a wider range of co-located services, ie those typically found in a Community Healthy Living Centre, together with out of hospital services, which do not require admission or specialist facilities.   The aim was for people to be within 25 minute walk or 10 minute car drive of these services.

Tier 3 relates to acute and emergency care, including mental health and also community in-patient facilities, eg intermediate care beds, palliative care beds and inpatient facilities for elderly mentally ill patients.  These would be centrally available.

In response to a question the Assistant Director (Property) stated that specific software had been used to map the distances in Medway and she would value intelligence and feedback from Members about the practicality of the information.  Mention was made that while on a map it may look like a 10 minute walk in reality it would much longer than that due to the fact that there were very busy roads there which could not easily be crossed by the public, and this feedback was welcomed.

In relation to the development at Balmoral Gardens she explained that an in-house pharmacy would be bringing in revenue to NHS Medway.  The Chief Executive of NHS Medway emphasised the importance of capitalising on any opportunity to save money or bring in revenue and the need for more partnership working was recognised.

Following questions relating to the possible demolition of the original Edwardian building at Medway Maritime Hospital and whether this meant that the hydrotherapy pool would be affected.  The Chief Executive of Medway NHS Foundation Trust explained that a number of projects originally planned by the hospital would no longer be feasible within the planned timeframe on the grounds of affordability In response to a question he confirmed that this also applied to the original plans to have new single bed wards. However, he emphasised that there was no specific intention to decommission the hydrotherapy pool within the Trust’s estates strategy.

The Assistant Director, Adult Social Care, in responding to a question set out the plans for the new development for the former Churchlands site, now named Amherst, which was intended as a residential care home for people suffering from dementia.  He felt that even more needed to be done to cater for the intermediate care needs of elderly people with dementia.

Decision:

The Committee agreed to note the report.