A much-loved and valued service: South Pembs Hospital

The Health Board has announced that it is to review the care and support provided from South Pembrokeshire Hospital in the New Year. Along with Pembrokeshire County Council, it will consider whether any improvements or changes are required to meet patient and customer need. The review will consider services and activity that is jointly funded and talk to staff, patients, partners and stakeholders about their needs and ideas about future service provision.

It will include a comprehensive review of: day care and rehabilitation/ reablement for adults, including therapy input inpatient services which include 35 health and 5 social beds support services including administration, estates, hotel services, transport accommodation space for health and social care staff and provision within the area for visiting services Director of Operations and Deputy Chief Executive of the Health Board Joe Teape explained: “We know that South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health & Social Care Resource Centre is a much loved and valued service within the local community. It’s really important that we take a careful look at the service model in the facility to ensure it is best meeting need and is having a positive impact for patients, including their outcomes and their experience of care.

“We also can’t ignore the external environment we are working within in health and social care and the future demographics of our population. This makes it really important to ensure our services are sustainable and make the best use of our resources for maximum patient benefit.” The review will consider what current service models are like and how they are performing, consider if there is potential for change and look at alternative models of care, and agree how the University Health Board and Local Authority can continue to work together on areas of mutual benefit. The review will include discussion with staff, service users and wider patient representatives through the Community Health Council.

The review will also consider impact of changes in relation to policy, fair charging and the impact of the forthcoming Social Services and Well Being Wales Act. Mr Teape stressed: “At this stage we are not consulting on any service change, but rather taking a close and prudent look at our services to ensure they are working in the best interests of our patients and population and to consider any potential changes and improvements that could be made.

We want to do this with our patients, staff and partners using the principles of co-production and options to ensure that models are inclusive and the right solutions for this particular locality and Pembrokeshire.” A project group has been established , with representation from doctors, therapists, medicines management, health and social care management, finance, human resources, estates, third sector providers, wider staff representation and invited representation from Hywel Dda Community Health Council Pam Marsden, Director of Social Services and Leisure for Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “As a Local Authority we are working closely with the Health Board. We want to ensure services continue to improve, are value for money and meet need. Both agencies need to make the best use of resources. We are looking forward to hearing from all stakeholders about this important facility.”

The Health Board and Local Authority will be arranging a series of stakeholder meetings and regular meetings with staff and will produce regular briefings for all parties. Plaid Cymru Assembly Member Simon Thomas has appealed to hospital users to give their views during a review of the South Pembrokeshire Hospital in Pembroke Dock. Mid and West AM Simon Thomas said: “I’m urging people to make their views known during the review. The Pembroke Dock site is valued locally. “The Party of Wales welcomes the health board and Pembrokeshire Council working together – joint working is something we have promoted in the National Assembly.

“In a deal with the Welsh Government Plaid Cymru secured £8million for an Intermediate Care Fund for the region. It was designed to alleviate some of the problems within the emergency care system by providing alternatives to hospitalisation and support independent living. Ultimately we want health and social services to come together.” Speaking in Pembroke Dock, Marc Tierney said: “The review of South Pembrokeshire hospital is unexpected. “I have visited the hospital and know local people who have accessed care up on Fort Road. We have already experienced the loss of the Minor Injuries Unit which added to the local GP caseload and forced other to seek treatment at Withybush with patients needing to pay bridge tolls and additional fuel costs.”

Mr Tierney continued: “The local authority budget is under pressure and Pembrokeshire Council is looking at all angles to reduce costs. So a review on doing things better isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But the facts speak for themselves – our population is aging, patient needs are increasingly complex and Tory austerity is strangling public service spending. “I can see real benefits in bringing health and social care together and working more closely with the third sector to support people makes sense. The PIVOT scheme has already proven this in Pembrokeshire.” Mr Tierney urged residents to respond to the Health Board’s review: “Whilst I would encourage patients to feed in their views, without any proper consultation it is difficult to know what arguments to make to ensure services are maintained, beds aren’t lost and the patients who require the excellent care and support currently offered by South Pembs continue to receive what they need in a setting close to their home. “I will be meeting with the Health Board in the new year expressing my view that South Pembs is, and must remain, an important centre for delivering health care this side of the Cleddau Bridge.”