Progress being made on Winchcombe Health Services
21/11/2007
The PCT, local GPs and community partners are continuing to work together to consider the development of a future health and social care service model for the population of Winchcombe.
Providing care closer to peoples’ own homes remains a guiding principle for the project.
The NHS wants to provide a range of high quality services for local people and has reassured the community that this does not involve reducing the spend on services in the local area.
With advances in new technology and new treatments, services for intermediate care (care that provides a bridge between hospital and home), rehabilitation care and end of life care can be provided in people’s own homes and in a variety of community facilities.
Providing services in this way is known to improve the quality, patient experience and continuity of care.
Care close to home could also include provision of community based outpatient services which meet the particular needs of the local population in Winchcombe.
In developing a service model, community partners will need to consider who provides the services and from where in the local community.
A health and social care working group made up of local GPs, patient representatives and representatives from the PCT and the County Council’s Community and Adult Care Directorate is helping to move the project forward.
Director of Commissioning and Primary Care Development at Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust, Simon Hairsnape said:
“The PCT and local GPs are continuing to work with community partners to develop an alternative service model for the area and to ensure that the residents of Winchcombe continue to have the best possible access to local health services.”
Local GP at Winchcombe Medical Practice, Dr Richard Tribley said:
“The most important issue here is to ensure that patients continue to receive high quality services that meet their needs. This means continuing to provide the majority of services in the local community, provided either in the patient’s own home or close to home. This continues to be our guiding principle and we need to work in partnership to achieve it.”
Members of the working group agree that the current Hospital is not suitable for refurbishment. However, the Winchcombe Hospital building will not be closed until alternative community based services are put in place.
Arrangements will be made to present progress on the developing service model to the local community in February 2008.
