Case for Change

This document provides an update on Phase Two of the Path to Excellence programme. It explains why we want to make changes to surgical services. It also explains why services cannot stay as they are.

It follows four previous ‘Draft Case for Change’ documents that we have published since July 2018. These documents set out the issues and challenges that we face. They also share what we have learned from talking to staff, stakeholders and patients.

We are planning to hold a public consultation later in the year. This is when we will share proposals for the future of surgical services.

This document provides a summary update on Phase Two of the Path to Excellence programme. It explains why we want to make changes to surgical services. It also explains why services cannot stay as they are. We are planning to hold a public consultation later in the year. This is when we will share proposals for the future of surgical services.

This is an Easy Read version of the Updated Draft Case for Change September 2021.

It uses words and pictures to tell you about how we are the NHS and we are working together to make hospital services better in South Tyneside and Sunderland.

Helping you understand why we want to make changes to surgical services.

This document is 14 pages long.

This is an Easy Read version of the Updated Draft Case for Change September 2021.

It uses words and pictures to tell you about how we are the NHS and we are working together to make hospital services better in South Tyneside and Sunderland.

Helping you understand why we want to make changes to surgical services.

This document is 9 pages long.

Healthcare leaders in South Tyneside and Sunderland are restarting work to create outstanding future hospital services as part of the ‘Path to Excellence’ clinical transformation programme. 

Almost a year ago, Phase Two of ‘Path to Excellence’ was officially paused to allow frontline NHS staff to focus on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Now, as the second wave begins to subside, hospital bosses have confirmed that work will resume and will focus on the transformation of NHS hospital surgery services in the first instance. 

To help explain why the transformation of services must now restart, the programme has published this updated Draft Case for Change – February 2021. It provides a reminder about the reasons for change and how clinical teams had progressed ‘working ideas’ around key areas of hospital care before the pandemic.

Since 2018, hospital staff  have been in involved in developing some ‘working ideas’ for how we can improve hospital services and in February 2019 – exactly two years ago – we shared our working ideas for the future.  The programme held multiple staff engagement events at the Clarion Hotel in Bolden throughout 2019 to discuss these working ideas.  Work was paused in March 2020 to allow clinical teams to focus on the operational response to the pandemic.

This is an Easy Read version of the Updated Draft Case for Change February 2021.

It uses words and pictures to tell you about how we are the NHS and we are working together to make hospital services better in South Tyneside and Sunderland.

Helping you to understand the impact of COVID-19 and our ‘working ideas’ for NHS hospital surgery services in South Tyneside and Sunderland.

This document is 16 pages long.

This document provides and update to the two editions of the Draft Case for Change documents published in July 2018 and in February 2019. It explains how we have involved a range of stakeholders, gathered information and used that insight to influence our thinking.

It is 36 pages long.

This document is an Easy Read version of the Autumn 2019 update document. It uses words and pictures to make the information easier to read and understand.

The document is nine pages long.

February 2019: This document provides an update to the Draft Case for Change published in July 2018, outlining the future ambitions for NHS hospital care. Our updated Draft Case for Change includes the early thinking and potential ‘working ideas’ so far, which have been developed by hospital staff, on ways to solve the challenges being faced.

This is a large document and is 108 pages long.

February 2019: This document is a summary of the full Updated Draft Case for Change document. It is much shorter and explains the main challenges that are currently facing our local NHS services.

This document is 24 pages long.

March 2019: This document is an Easy Read version of the updated issues document. It talks about why we are doing this work and some of the challenges faced by these hospital services. It uses words and pictures to make the information easier to read and understand.

This document is eight pages long.

July 2018: This document explains the issues and challenges that are currently facing our local NHS services. This includes feedback from staff and patients of their experiences of working in, or using, local NHS hospital services.

This is a large document and is 68 pages long.

July 2018: This document is a summary of the Case for Change document. It is much shorter and concentrates on the main issues our local NHS faces at present.

This document is eight pages long.

July 2018: This is a presentation which sets out why we are doing this work and how we plan to address key challenges currently facing local NHS hospital services.

This document is 23 pages long.