Trust Chief Exuective on Downe Hospital boost

Trust Chief Exuective on Downe Hospital boost

31 October 2018

It was announced last week that the Downe Hospital is to become an elective care centre for cataract surgery. In an interview this week Hugh McCaughey, Chief Executive of the South Eastern Health Trust, spells out what this will mean for the hospital and patients.

Q How significant is the news of the new elective care centres?

A From a regional perspective, this is the first stage on the journey to developing stand-alone elective centres on fewer hospital sites in order to ensure planned work does not get disrupted due to increased emergency pressures.

This announcement is greatly welcomed by the Trust and we hope that these prototypes will deliver improved access for patients across Northern Ireland. The prototypes will need to be evaluated before any final decisions are taken but we have every confidence that our teams in the Downe and Lagan Valley will rise to the challenge and deliver excellent services. 

Q What will this mean for the Downe?

A The Downe will operate as part of a three-site model to deliver improved access to cataract surgery for patients beyond the Down area.

This initiative follows on from the work that the South Eastern Trust has developed over the past 10 years which has seen patients from across the South Eastern Trust area being treated in the Downe Hospital for a range of conditions.

Our cataract service will grow fourfold from 2.5 operating sessions to 10 sessions per week and this service will deliver the biggest volume of day procedure patients within the Downe.

Q Is there a brighter future ahead for smaller hospitals like the Downe?

A We have always envisaged a bright future for our smaller hospitals and these developments will provide further opportunities for us to expand our excellent range of elective services on both sites.

This development is very much in keeping with our philosophy of providing services which are safe, of a very high quality and which are sustainable. We have first class facilities in the Downe, but more importantly we have first class staff who have a track record of providing high quality care to our patients.

Our staff will embrace the challenge of expanding our services and I have no doubt that they will turn this prototype into a successful service for patients both within the Trust and across the region.

Q What will be the benefits for patients?

A A fundamental concept behind dedicated elective centres is to firstly ensure that planned work does not get cancelled because of increasing emergency pressures. The daycase unit in the Downe has always been able to function superbly well, free from the possibility of emergency pressures impinging on capacity. 

The unit will continue to function in that way and this provides absolute assurance that elective cases will be able to continue working without disruption.

In addition, the potential to improve efficiency and productivity is also behind the commencement of these prototypes. Concentrating resources develops expertise and creates opportunities to increase productivity. This can only benefit patients.  

Q How were the agreed sites identified?

A Option appraisals were carried out on the most suitable sites based on criteria such as the quality and availability of suitable infrastructure, patient access and travel times, clinical capacity and sustainability. 

Q What will happen next now the news is announced?

A The prototype project teams will work closely with the HSC Board and the Trust to develop plans for implementation. 

We will need to quickly determine actions to expand the workforce and identify all other actions to make sure that we are ready to get up and running as quickly as possible.

Ultimately, the prototype centres will be evaluated in order to inform the development of a regional elective care centre model for all appropriate daycase procedures.

Q Has this initiative been developed using a partnership approach?

A This initiative has been led by colleagues in the Department of Health and the Health and Social Care Board, working closely with Trust senior staff and engaging the patient’s voice along the journey.

The ‘scoping’ team visited each hospital and also engaged with our staff who are currently delivering the cataract service. 

Those visiting the Downe were hugely impressed by what they saw and by our excellent and enthusiastic staff.