LATEST NEWS FROM LOCAL NHS TRUST Health ‘revolution’ under way
£5m C-diff fine ‘re-invested’ DESPITE improving on its record in 2011/12,Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust suffered a year-end fine of £5m for being 10 C-diff in- fection cases over the trajec- tory of 49 in its two hospitals. Only one case was hospital
cross infection. In the other cases, patients had C-diff bac- teria in their guts and the use of antibiotics wiped out the good bacteria, allowing the disease to develop. It has been announced that
the £5m will be reinvested back into local healthcare and have no adverse effect on the trust’s financial position.
Taking note THE trust has considered the Francis Report on problems at Mid Staffs Hospital. Local decisions include procuring name badges to en- sure all staff wear them; to consider staff rewards that acknowledge good perform- ance; and communal areas for patientswhere possible as wards at Maidstone Hospital are reconfigured. The trust is also considering publishing complaint themes on its website andmaking the complaints process easier. It will re-launch its whistle- blowing policy.
Dementia target THE trust says it is improving dementia screening on emer- gency admissions for over 75s (12% in November, 39.2% October, 90% January, 97% February). All who needed further assessment were referred to specialists. The screening target is 90%.
Shorter stays REDUCING length of hospital stay by patients has become an elevated priority for the trust. It is strengthening the discharge planning process, streamlining systems, better utilising the discharge lounge and is involved in develop- ing community care.
Outpatient care SINCE the new urgent ambu- latory unit opened at Maid- stone in November it has offered rapid assessment, treatment and care for many patients without admission to main inpatient wards. About 25% of patients return home the same day.
Good feedback A PATIENT survey shows 98% would recommend the trust to family and friends and 80% of Tunbridge Wells Hospital patients believe they benefit from the single-room environment.
32 East By Dennis Fowle
A“REVOLUTION” in providing healthcare services in Kent has started. The aims are to provide widely improved, integrated, caring and dignified services close to or in patients’ homes, reducing the number of hospital visits and inpatients, together with lengths of stay. When these are achieved, money saved on hospitals will be available to expand and improve the close-to-home services, bringing a holistic approach and greater support for the patient. KCC leader Paul Carter, launching the Kent Health and Wellbeing Board, said changes to meet 21st century demands must be made to keep the founding vi- sion of the NHS alive. “Every pound must be well spent,” he said. “We need to maximise prevention by en- couraging people to be more re- sponsible for their own health. The current system treats ill-
Healthwatch Kent More power is given to local patients and people through a newbody: Healthwatch Kent. This independent organisation provides them with a voice and has representation of the Kent Health andWellbeing Board.
Public health Public health responsibility has nowbeen transferred to KCC. This includes anti-smoking, sexual health, alcohol educa- tion,weight management, and health of those aged five to 19.
KCC leader Paul Carter
ness rather than promoting wellness. We need new solu- tions in managing long-term conditions that an ageing popu- lation will inevitably bring.” He explained that from April
1, powers and influence had- been taken out of the hands of NHS bureaucrats and managers andpassedtoGPs andclini- cians. They will commission the new community-based serv- ices. There will be local leader- ship and oversight for local NHS and social care services. This is what it could look like:
Healthcare based predomi- nantly in the community, around GP surgeries and local clinics of- fering an extended range of serv- ices and new technologies. GPs co-ordinating patient care with integrated support
Doctors to involve patients in provision of services
DOCTORS are now in charge of the £471m annual medical budget for the 464,000 people living in Maidstone, Tonbridge and Malling, Tunbridge Wells and part of Sevenoaks. ThenewNHSWestKentClin-
ical Commissioning Group gov- erning body includes 12 GPs (three from Maidstone town) elected by the 62 GP practices, a chief nurse, a hospital medical specialist, two members of the public and two experienced health managers. Chairman Dr Bob Bowes said:
“We want to ensure all patients receive high quality local care that improves their health. “We want health services to
be effective, efficient and near to people’s homes whenever possible, but we also want ex- cellent specialist services avail- able when needed. We shall involve patients; by working to- gether we can create better healthcare for everyone.” He has listed the immediate priorities: children and mater- nity services; emergency and urgent care; community clinics with more services; diabetes care; rehabilitation services;
care for people with long- term con- ditions; diagnosis and care for de- mentia patients; informa- tion and support for carers; end-of-life care. Dr Bowes said the public
Dr Bob Bowes
could contribute by joining pa- tient groups at their own GP surgeries or the group’s health network. The group will spend funds
on urgent and emergency care, ambulance services, planned hospital care, community health services, maternity and newborn services, children’s health services, mental health, medicines prescribed by GPs, consultants etc. It will not pay for GP salaries
and practice staff, pharmacists, NHS opticians and NHS den- tists etc.
from social care and other pro- fessionals. Asystem available every hour of the day with professionals such as district nurses, health visitors, physiotherapists and occupational therapists provid- ing personalised co-ordinated support. Real accountability to pa- tients and their families. Public health services sup- porting people to take responsi- bility for their health and wellbeing. More investments in commu- nity-based (home or hospice) end-of-life care. Cllr Carter added:“Wemust re-
move all unnecessary delay in the system when people need care and support. Services must be responsive to people’s needs.” He said services not deliver-
ing value for money and good outcomes for patients would be decommissioned. He added: “This will require
us to be open to taking brave, bold steps. We need to think and work differently.”
Report boost
for hospital MAIDSTONE and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) has welcomed the findings of a re- port into standards of quality and safety for older patients at Maidstone Hospital. A team from the Care Quality Commission said the hospital was found to be meeting stan- dards for all areas, including: People should be treated with respect, involved in dis- cussions about their care and treatment and able to influence how the service is run. Food and drink should meet people’s individual dietary needs. People should be protected from abuse and staff should re- spect their human rights. There should be enough members of staff to keep people safe and meet their health and welfare needs. Personal records should be accurate and kept confidential. The percentage of staff feeling satisfied with the quality of work and patient care they pro- vide at MTW rose from 75% in 2011 to 82% in 2012. The trust had the best staff survey results of all acute hos- pital trusts in Kent and Med- way.
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