Last month healthcare leaders in South Tyneside and Sunderland announced that work is restarting to create outstanding future hospital services as part of the ‘Path to Excellence’ clinical transformation programme.
Surgical teams at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust have been discussing the best way to arrange future surgical services since 2016. The ‘working ideas’ published in February 2019 outlined a clear ambition to separate emergency operations from planned operations with multiple benefits for both patients and staff.
This would mean South Tyneside District Hospital would provide only planned operations, with all emergency operations and some planned procedures taking place at Sunderland Royal Hospital.
Both hospitals would continue to provide outpatient services as well as diagnostic tests and scans.
To help us with this work we are gathering views about the plan to focus on developing proposals for changes to the way surgery services are arranged.
We are asking people to look at the updated case for change and tell us what they think are the important issues the Path to Excellence programme should consider by answering the six key questions below.
- How do you think the pandemic has impacted NHS surgery services?
- Has the pandemic changed the way you access NHS surgery services?
- Has the pandemic caused or highlighted any issues with travel and transport to NHS surgery services?
- What inequalities and/or disadvantages have you become aware of during the pandemic
- How might these be addressed?
- What else do you think is important to take into account about surgery?
- What other ideas should the programme be considering about surgery?
You can do this via our online survey.
You can view our Updated Draft Case for Change (February 2021)
Work to engage with staff, the public and stakeholders will continue as working ideas are further developed, and feedback used to inform our plans as we approach public consultation.