We are listening - Community Hospitals

Update from NHS Lanarkshire

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About: Kello Hospital Lady Home Cottage Hospital NHS Lanarkshire

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Karen


NHS Lanarkshire Community Hospitals play an essential role in the provision of local healthcare for rural areas. They provide rehabilitation services, palliative and end of life care; some also provide outpatient clinics and a 24 hour minor injury service. Our hospitals are staffed by nurses, therapists, pharmacists, clinical support staff and volunteers.

Our Community Hospital teams aim to provide safe and effective person-centred care for all patients at all times and we recognise the significant and important contribution that carers and family members provide. We are passionate about developing our services within each Community Hospital for the benefit of the local population and more than ever for those who have dedicated their own lives to caring.

We acknowledge that many patients admitted to our Community Hospitals are elderly and have a range of complex healthcare conditions, including dementia and other mental health needs.

Enabling easier access for Carers to support their relative or friend and to contribute towards their loved one’s recovery is fundamental to the wellbeingof patients and their carers, as well as their family and friends.

In order to show our commitment to our patients and their carers, Kello and Lady Home Hospitals have signed up to ‘Johns Campaign’. The campaign aims to support people with dementia, by ensuring they are surrounded by familiar faces around the clock, if that is what is desired, by letting their family and carers stay with them on the ward. Here is our pledge:

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Official launch of Johns Campaign at Kello Hospital, and Lady Home Hospital

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John’s Campaign was launched after the death of Dr John Gerrard in 2014, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in his mid‐70s and spent some time in hospital in England. His daughter, Nicci Gerrard, founded the national campaign with her friend, Julia Jones. John’s family believed that he would have had a much improved quality of life towards the end of his life, had his family been able to participate in his care during that hospital admission period.

The concept of ensuring familiarity and connectedness to family and Carers, builds on the inclusive ethos of our Community Hospitals, including Kilsyth Victoria Hospital, soon to launch Johns Campaign; as well as our South Lanarkshire Health & Social Care Partnership vision – “Working together to improve health and wellbeing with the community – in the community”.

Current modelling within our Health and Social care Partnership; includes working alongside others, building on and enhancing the workforce, thus improving our provision of high quality services within our Community Hospital sites.  Increasing Community capacity and ensuring the best quality of care within rural areas of Lanarkshire remains our key focus.

If you have an experience of Community Hospitals nursing you would like to share, please speak to a member of staff, respond on Care Opinion, or visit the “Your Feedback” Section of the NHS Lanarkshire website to see the other ways to get in touch www.nhslanarkshire.org.uk

Response from leet on

Hi if you believe that community hospitals are "essential in rural areas" you are "passionate" in developing service in community hospitals and you "recognise the important contribution" community hospitals make in the care of mainly elderly patients and their relatives  if this is the case then why is the Lockhart Hospital in Lanark now no longer taking in these elderly patients?  It is a community hospital  Is it not rural enough? Has it not been providing essential service to the community? or are our carers and families not important enough?I know you are going to say no GPs but what happened to the Nurse practioner led idea has that been adandoned ??  Once again you say you listen to people but unfortunately the people of Lanark and surrounding area would strongly  disagree!!!!

Response from Karen Thompson, Service Manager Community Nursing, Community Hospitals, Health Visiting, Treatment Rooms, Clydesdale, NHS Lanarkshire on

Many thanks for your comments in relation to the launch of the John’s Campaign in Kello and Lady Home community hospitals.

I would like to reassure you that we aim to offer support and care to each and every person on the merit of their need no matter where they reside.

We are aware that some members of the community would like Lockhart Hospital to reopen to admissions. However, as you have correctly highlighted, the continuing challenges with General Practitioner (GP) availability – both locally and nationally mean that this is not possible at this time.

I am keen to highlight that Lockhart Hospital remains open and continues to make an important contribution locally with physiotherapy, occupational therapy and the Integrated Community Support Team (ICST) is based there.

These services have also been expanded to increase the level and amount of rehabilitation being carried out, which means some people are still accessing services locally without needing to travel to Wishaw General Hospital.  Health and social care rehabilitation staff are now seeing more patients at Lockhart following the introduction of group sessions, which focus on information, advice and therapy.

Similarly, a number of health related community groups are also now able to make greater use of the Lockhart facility – again extending access to more members of the local community.

On your question about the involvement of Advanced Nurse Practitioners, this is a model we are continuing to investigate. We are currently progressing a pilot to identify if it would provide a safe and effective model of care.

Additionally, a wide range of health and wellbeing projects were showcased recently at a Doors Open Event in the Lockhart Hospital Community Hub. The event sought to highlight services and projects that can really make a difference to health and wellbeing at the very heart of communities. 

We are keen to hear feedback - and we are listening. Indeed, the recent event was part of NHS Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership’s commitment to ensuring that appropriate engagement and involvement continues to take place with the community about how the care needs, health and wellbeing of the people of Clydesdale are best met, now and in the future. 

 

Best wishes,

Karen Thompson

Senior Nurse

Clydesdale Locality

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