Health Service Planning, Devon Primary Care Trust, South West (UK)
Clients Issue: NHS Community Hospitals provide services including minor injuries, out-patient care, day surgery, rehabilitation & care for older people & for patients being monitored by their GPs. They form a link between GP & community nursing services & the resident population. Devon Primary Care Trust (PCT) came into existence in Oct 2006 following the merger of 6 similar organisations in Exeter & mid, north, east, south & west Devon. The PCT are responsible for planning & managing the provision of local health services such as Community Hospitals & Clinics; encouraging greater co-operation between staff in the hospitals & GP practices; & thereby improving the quality of service provided to patients. In 2002/03 the PCT wanted to replace an old outdated hospital in the centre of Tiverton with a modern Community Hospital & also with Local Authority provision & a General Practice on a new site, along with car parking on the edge of the town.
Solution: Through extensive discussions with local stakeholders, including GPs, hospital & local authority staff, we established a construction brief for a new state of the art 70 bed Community Hospital for acute care, elderly mental health care, a day surgery unit, maternity services, a rehabilitation department & a minor injuries unit. Also a pharmacy, a weekday X-ray department & a community dental service, plus outpatients, a GP practice, occupational therapy, physio, chiropody, audiology & counselling services.
Outcome: Tiverton Community Hospital was officially opened in 2005 & receives wide acclaim for the quality of its planning & services.