Issue - items at meetings - Update on 3T redevelopment scheme

Presentation from BSUH on the update with the 3T hospital redevelopment programme – handouts will be available at the committee.

21.1      Professor Passman gave a presentation to HWOSC members. He said that he was keen to address members’ concerns. He noted that there was an urban myth that some services will be discontinued at the Trust during the 3Ts development process; Professor Passman stressed that this was not, and never had been the case. A significant amount of money will be spent on temporary accommodation for the services which is known as the “decant” schemes and which he has briefed the HWOSC upon at previous meetings.

Major construction was due to begin in earnest in late 2015. The Trust has submitted its Full Business Case to central Government and anticipated final further questions before Christmas. The key unknown was in the HM Treasury approval. The aim of the Trust and its partners is to secure approval before the general election.

The Trust is going to review the title ‘3Ts – Teaching Trauma and Tertiary’ after the Full Business Case is granted as it was felt that this did not reflect the very substantial element of the project which related to local District General Hospital services, which translates into 56% of the overall floor area of the project.

Professor Passman also noted that there is a recurring myth that the Trust will be too specialist at the expense of local services.   He noted that, currently, 7% of activity at the RSCH is specialist.  This will increase to 9% when 3Ts is complete, but this increase is related to repatriating activity from London and the shift of some local activity into community setting as part of the proposals for the Better Care Fund.

It was noted that the Trust has decided to keep rheumatology and physiotherapy on the County site during the works process.  The original proposal was to move these to Brighton General, but this had been reconsidered following previous discussions at HWOSC and with the staff concerned.

Professor Passman stressed that the risks of not carrying the work out are far greater than the risks of doing it.

21.2      The Chair said that HWOSC would always focus on the risks, but noted Professor Passman’s comments.

• Members asked how infection control would be managed in the new building; Professor Passman said that 65% of the new Barry Building would be single rooms with toilets which should help with Infection Control, but rigorous attention to hygiene by clinical staff will always be paramount.

• Members heard that the Thomas Kemp tower will host a helipad which will operate in daylight hours only. The Trust will continue its discussions with local neighbours through the Hospital Liaison Group.

• Members heard that the Trust had pledged to put a blue plaque on the front of the replacement for the Barry Building (Stage 2) to commemorate its history, which had been an informative arising from discussion at the Planning Committee in January 2012

• Members commented that any decant or move of services would come with associated disruption for patients and families. How had this been reflected in plans?

Professor Passman said that the intention from the beginning of the planning process had been to keep relocated services in places where they are most accessible.

It was noted that the current proposals to relocate acute neurosurgical services (and the associated proposal to centralise services for patients who suffer a fractured neck of femur at the Princess Royal Hospital) support the major trauma centre services whilst 3Ts is being built.    It was noted that fractured neck of femur services are currently provided at both Trust sites and the proposal to centralise them would provide opportunities for consistent care and for a focus on early rehabilitation and discharge.

Members suggested that perhaps there could be a workshop on risk planning and action plans.

• Mr Kershaw said that the fact remained that there needed to be a major trauma centre in Brighton or other services would be affected too. He believed that one single pathway will be better for fractured neck of femur patients- currently patients are moved to PRH for rehab but with new arrangements they will be there for the whole service.

• Professor Passman concluded by saying that there were different sections of work, in February/ March 2015 neurosurgery will be moving to RSCH. There is a deliberate plan to space out significant service moves over time – to reduce the risk of undertaken too many moves at one time.

21.3    Members thanked Professor Passman for his update and said that they fully supported BSUH in its plans.