Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Commissioning Operations (Wessex), NHS England, presenting the case for change for sustainable vascular arterial services in Hampshire/Isle of Wight which is consistent with the NHS England Service Specification for Vascular Services, attached.

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Commissioning Operations (Wessex), NHS England, presenting the case for change for sustainable vascular arterial services in Hampshire/Isle of Wight which is consistent with the NHS England Service Specification for Vascular Services.

The report detailed the findings of the Vascular Society Great Britain and Northern Ireland (VSGB) reviewing the business case and options appraisal for vascular services in the region.  It was noted that the preferred option for the delivery of these services was for University Hospital Southampton (UHS) to act as the hub with the Queen Alexandra Hospital (Portsmouth), the St Mary’s Hospital (Isle of Wight) and the Royal Hampshire County Hospital (Winchester) as spokes.

The Panel noted that the issue had been ongoing for a number of years and that all elements of the clinical side were supportive of the current proposals.  The Panel questioned whether the proposals would put an additional demands on the UHS.  It questioned whether the potential increase in patients would affect the capacity of the hospital overall and in particular the hospital’s ability to achieve targets relating to the emergency department.  In addition the Panel questioned whether there was a detailed implementation plan.

The Panel were assured that there was a detailed implementation plan which could circulated to Members. It was explained that it was not expected that the numbers of potential additional patients would be significant.  It was noted that the any potential additional demand on the hospital would be addressed by the introduction of the planned, and budgeted for, new facilities which would lead to internal improvements to capacity. 

RESOLVED that the Panel:

(i)  felt that the proposed changes to vascular services set out in the business case did not constitute a major reconfiguration of the service and welcomed its introduction;

(ii)  requested that the outline project implementation plan for the Vascular Services proposals, including timescales, finances and accountability be circulate to the Panel; and

(iii)  be kept informed on progress as the business plan was rolled out to reconfigure the service across the region.