The future of Rochdale Infirmary and community services

Health and Social Care leaders sign the Statement of Intent for the future of Rochdale Infirmary
John Jesky, Lesley Mort, Councillor Colin Lambert, John Archer, Dr Chris Duffy (signing the statement) and John Saxby

Health and council leaders from across the Rochdale borough gathered together at Rochdale Infirmary to sign a commitment to the future of the hospital and how to transform and enhance health and social care services.

The joint statement of intent agreement was signed by Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale shadow Clinical Commissioning Group Chairman, Dr Chris Duffy and Interim Accountable Officer, Lesley Mort, The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Chairman, John Jesky, and Chief Executive, John Saxby, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive, John Archer, and the Leader of Rochdale Council, Councillor Colin Lambert.

The agreement acknowledges the important heritage of Rochdale Infirmary and some of the concerns that local people have about the services that have moved out of the hospital. Going forward, plans are focussed on the services that could be provided at the hospital and in the community and local people are being asked to get involved.

Local GPs as commissioners are already involved in re-designing health care to shift care closer to home and improve access to hospital-based services. This signed agreement paves the way to continue these changes and a multi-agency Rochdale borough Board is due to be established, which will include Rochdale Council, The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, which provides community and mental health services in the borough.

The type of services that could be provided at the Infirmary or in the community could include multi-agency teams to deliver:

• A single point of contact, so that people are directed quickly to the services they need.
• Mental health and wellbeing services, bringing together physical health, mental health and social care.
• Elderly and frail patient services, providing more specialist care.
• Services for people with long- term conditions, using technology and equipment to support patient care.
• A range of healthy lifestyle and wellbeing services.

Only recently the new specialist Pennine Rheumatology Centre at the hospital opened in April 2012, providing enhanced out-patient and day-case facilities for people with rheumatic diseases, such as arthritis. Later in 2012, a foot and ankle service will be provided at the hospital and eye surgical services will move from Birch Hill Hospital to the Rochdale Infirmary.

Dr. Chris Duffy Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group Chair explained: “The CCG, which is the commissioning group for local healthcare, is keen to work with the public and its stakeholders to design a different and sustainable future for the Rochdale Infirmary and for health services in the borough. Its intention is to try to re-establish public confidence in Rochdale Infirmary, to start to influence public perception and experience of services available locally that everyone can be proud of and also to build a more positive feel about health and social care services across the borough”.

Lesley Mort, Interim Accountable Officer, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group said: “I am pleased to support the clinical leadership of the HMR CCG in this very important programme and look forward to working with local people to help us design services at the Infirmary and across the borough.”

Leader of Rochdale Borough Council, Councillor Colin Lambert said: “It is important that the future of Rochdale Infirmary is secured and that local voices are heard. If we are to put the past behind us and move on, then we need to be assured that the infirmary is safe, and that medical treatment our residents may need now and in the future is accessible, in the right place and of the highest quality.”

John Saxby, Chief Executive of The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We have invested in services for patients at the Infirmary to make sure they are fit for the future. All service changes have been led by our doctors and nurses.

“We have made sure that we still provide as much care as we can in Rochdale. We opened the Pennine Rheumatology Centre at the Infirmary last month and both the Urgent Care Centre and Clinical Assessment Unit have proved successful since they opened last year. Later this year, the Ophthalmology service will move from Birch Hill Hospital to the Infirmary with new twin theatres.

“The Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group will decide which health services they wish to see provided at Rochdale Infirmary and the Trust will continue to provide these.”

John Jesky, Chairman of The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Rochdale Infirmary, the services we provide and the staff who work here remain an important part of this Trust. Last month the Trust Board received an enthusiastic presentation from staff in the Clinical Assessment Unit (CAU) and Urgent Care Centre (UCC) which showed the level of commitment and the achievements the unit had made since it opened in April last year. The CAU has treated over 5000 patients and the UCC almost 50,000 patients in the last 12 months.

“Staff are receiving excellent feedback and high satisfaction levels from patients. Rochdale Infirmary is becoming a model of how services can and should be provided. Other NHS Trusts across the country are approaching us and keen to see what we’ve done and how we’ve done it. We look forward to working with the Council and other health bodies in delivering high standards of care to patients and their families.”

John Archer, Chief Executive of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It is vital that our services are tailored according to the needs of the local population and we will work with local GPs and key partners to ensure we provide services at the right time, in the right place. A large number of patients who end up in hospital could actually be cared for in the community with some additional support, and we are working on plans to improve and enhance these services, so that patients only spend time in hospital if they really need to.

“We fully support the CCGs intention to ensure the future of Rochdale Infirmary and welcome the opportunity to develop the site as an integrated hub for community care, social care, voluntary services and secondary care.”

The aim is to start engagement with local people over the coming months around what good will look like. This is your opportunity to say what services could be provided to benefit you in the hospital and in the community where you live.

For details on how to get involved please see www.speakupnow.co.uk