Specialist care on the cards in NHS shake-up

Published on 8th February 2007 in News

Goole Hospital could be set to benefit as part of an £8 million investment scheme which is aiming to improve community health care service in the East Riding - and could for the first time offer renal dialysis and some forms of chemotherapy.

The East Riding of Yorkshire Primary Care Trust is planning changes to the way community health services are delivered and are in the middle of a three-month consultation on how best to do this. The aim is to find a solution which means more patients can be treated closer to home rather than having to be sent to larger acute hospitals such as those in Scunthorpe and Hull.

A £7 to £8 million investment will allow the hospital services to be more accessible, sustainable and affordable, says the Primary Care Trust.

There are currently four proposals being discussed - including the creation of a Level 2 care site at Goole Hospital. This would mean Goole Hospital, possibly along with Bridlington, would be transformed into a hospital which can provide very specialist care including specialist surgery and chemotherapy - making it possible for more people to be treated locally rather than being admitted to Scunthorpe Hospital and Hull Royal Infirmary.

Goole and Bridlington Hospitals have already been deemed as appropriate for this kind of investment but the Primary Care Trust is also looking into the possibility of building another Level 2 hospital at a number of sites, including Market Weighton.

Kate Ireland, East Riding of Yorkshire PCT Director of Quality and Professional Services, gave a presentation to Goole Town Council on Monday evening.

She said: "These new sites would provide managed care, not emergency care. The aim is also to reduce the number of people admitted to hospital due to more community care and stays in hospital for those who have to be admitted should be much shorter.

"These proposals mean that an upgraded Goole Hospital could provide more services than it currently does. We are looking at new models of care to try and get more people treated close to their homes. This could see up to an extra 60 hospital beds being provided at Goole Hospital."

Another 50 NHS beds would be put in private care homes, with staff support for a further 100 beds in patients' homes.

The consultation ends on March 8. To have your say on these plans visit www.erypct.nhs.uk