THURSDAY, 3 AUGUST, 2017

IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

People sharing views on proposals to transform surgical services in Tayside

Members of the public have already been sharing their views during the first month of the public consultation on proposals for the transformation of surgical services in Tayside.

NHS Tayside is proposing to make changes to where surgeons, doctors and nurses deliver some general surgical procedures in Tayside. The proposed changes are to ensure NHS Tayside can continue to provide sustainable, safe, high-quality surgical services into the future.

Like all health boards in Scotland, NHS Tayside is facing significant challenges including caring for an ageing population, an increasing number of people with long-term and multiple conditions, a shortage of some groups of health staff and growing demand for services.

For these reasons, NHS Tayside cannot keep delivering health services the way they have always delivered them. Services throughout NHS Tayside need to adapt to ensure they meet the current and future needs of the population.

At the moment, both elective and unscheduled surgery in Tayside is carried out at two sites, Ninewells Hospital in Dundee and Perth Royal Infirmary in Perth. Stracathro Hospital in Angus only does elective surgery.

The proposed transformation of surgical services will create a service that allows NHS Tayside to deliver high-quality care, balancing the number of operations that can be carried out in all three acute hospitals in Tayside with patient demand.

Surgeons, doctors, nurses and other members of the clinical team are leading this proposed change and they have explored many options of how surgery can be transformed in Tayside with other clinicians, managers, voluntary sector representatives, staff and NHS Tayside public partners.

A wide range of people were involved in reviewing the pros and cons of each option put forward by the clinical teams. The preferred option was then presented to the Board of NHS Tayside who agreed that the public should be consulted on the following proposal:

• There will continue to be three surgical units across Tayside at Ninewells, Perth Royal Infirmary and Stracathro Hospital.

• All unscheduled surgery should come to Ninewells Hospital 24-hours a-day.

• An increase in the number of elective surgery patients at Perth Royal Infirmary to develop PRI as a centre for excellence for elective surgery.

• An increase in the number of day case and minor elective surgery patients at Stracathro

The proposals would mean that all patients in Tayside can access the most appropriate facilities for their elective surgery.

This also means that more Perth & Kinross elective patients would be treated closer to home at PRI and there would be an enhancement of critical care in the hospital to deal with an increase in major elective surgery.

The public consultation on the proposals for surgical services will run until 3 October.

NHS Tayside General Manager for Surgery Arlene Wood said, “During the first month of the consultation, we have already received valuable feedback on the shaping surgical services programme from members of the public, service users, carers, staff and other interested stakeholders.

“We would like to thank everyone who has already taken part and we would encourage people to continue to share their views on the proposed future model for surgical services in Tayside.”

All stakeholder views will be included in a final report with recommendations for the new service model, which will be presented back to the NHS Tayside Board for a final decision.

Information about the consultation is available at www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk where the public will be able to find out more about the proposals and complete an online questionnaire.

Public engagement events have also been arranged to give everyone the chance to have their say:

• Wednesday, 13 September, 2pm-4pm drop-in, 5pm-7pm presentation, Stracathro Outpatient Department, Stracathro Hospital

• Monday, 18 September, 3pm-5pm, Pitlochry Town Hall (Please note time change due to public feedback on availability)

• Thursday, 21 September, 5pm-7pm, Perth & Kinross Council Chambers room, 2 High Street, Perth

• Tuesday, 26 September, (2pm-4pm drop-in, 5pm-7pm presentation), Gannochy Lecture Theatre, promenade area, Ninewells Hospital

Contact:

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138