held in the Day Room, Cambusavie Unit, LawsonMemorialHospital
on 5th September 2012
PRESENT:Ross MacKenzie, District Manager (RM) - Chair
CampbellPort, Golspie Community Council (CP)
Gerry Lemkes, Friends of Cambusavie (GL)
Carl Lemkes, Sutherland Access Panel (CL)
Mary Nicol, Golspie Community Council (MN)
Kathleen Cunningham, League of Friends (KC)
Marie Close, Scottish Health Council (MC)
Marion Sutherland, Acting Senior Charge Nurse, Cambusavie Unit (MS)
Lorraine Coe, Clinical Nurse Manager (LC)
Allison Mackay, Senior Charge Nurse, LMH GP Unit (AMac)
Lee Bright, Brora Community Council (LB)
Christian Goskirk, Quality Improvement Lead (CG)
IN ATTENDANCE:
Liz Manson (LM) (notes)
APOLOGIES:
Allan Tubb, CHP Committee Member/HealthVoices Rep
Ivor Campbell, Estates Officer (IC)
Sandy Allison, Lairg Community Council (SA)
Deirdre Mackay, Highland Councillor (DM)
Catherine Sutherland, Brora Community Council (CS)
Ishbel Clarkson, League of Friends (IC)
Dr Janet Mair, Clinical Lead for Community Hospitals in East Sutherland
Maimie Thompson, Head of Public Relations and Engagement, NHS Highland (MT)
Tom Davison, Communications Manager, NHS Highland
ACTION
1. / WELCOME & APOLOGIES
RM welcomed all to the meeting.
2. / NOTES OF THE LAST MEETING
Notes of the meeting held on the 6th June 2012 were accepted as correct.
3. / MATTERS ARISING
(not on the agenda)
- Lairg Community Council – RM asked LM to contact SA from Lairg Community Council, which she did, with the offer of a meeting with them or, if they wished, to visit the hospital where RM would be happy to show them around and explain our plans. However, to date, there has been no uptake of this offer.
CG noted that there had been some changes recently within the Community Council in Lairg. RM said we would continue to send correspondence on these meetings and it is hoped that a representative may be able to attend a future meeting. - Cambusavie Unit Refurbishment –work is almost completed, only snagging issues being looked into. The rest of the work will be picked up within the redesign work of the site.
4. / UPDATE ON PROGRESS
RM noted that for several months he has been trying to glean some information regarding the redesign from NHS Highland’s Estates Department and only recently had a meeting with Eric Green (EG), the Estates Manager for NHS Highland and IC. RM explained that he has been informed that due to recent audits around NHS Highland properties by Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service, several major issues have now to be responded to, especially within RaigmoreHospital. Failure to apply the Service’s recommendations could result in closure of the main hospital in Highland. Therefore,this work has now become a priority funding requirement for NHS Highland’s capital funding. As well as this, the resource from the Scottish Government to Highland this year has been cut by a considerable amount. The end result is now that though the redesign project is still supported by the Senior Management Team, as well as the Board, this will delay any work starting until the spring of next year at the earliest, unless there is slippage in other projects. RM said he was very disappointed in this outcome but fully understands that the work at Raigmore must be a priority. Work has also been highlighted via these audits at the Lawson but this will be undertaken within the redesign work. £140K capital and £100K revenue funding is required to complete phase 1 of the project. In the meantime it is agreed to get underway with plans being drawn up to be displayed on boards within the hospital site and also submission for a building warrant. GL asked why it has taken so long for these issues to be raised at Raigmore. CP explained that through changes in regulations requirements change all the time and this audit will have highlighted issues from recent changes in regulations. RM noted that even in the new MigdaleHospital the audit has picked up issues that were not within regulations at the time the hospital was built. The Estates Department have to respond to the Fire Brigade around actions to be taken and discussions around the redesign work here at the Lawson are included in this.
LC noted that some support may be forthcoming from Macmillan but this would be purely in relation to transferring the Palliative Care room over to the unit.
AM and MS stressed that this delay actually is a good thing for them to allow for discussion around shift patterns and for staff to start to work between units to allow for a better understanding. Staff are coming forward and asking if they can do this kind of work. AM stressed that there is a lot of work ahead regarding the merging of the two units and this will give some extra time to see that this is undertaken correctly. A member of staff has been identified to work one day per week around the issues to bring the units together. AM said she was glad of the extra time and that this would assist with an easier transition. LC said she would ensure that temporary contracts were extended to cover both units whilst this delay is happening.
RM said that changes to the plans have been agreed after some minor changes around a sluice room, downstairs kitchen area being divided to allow for a quiet room to be made for assessments. Within the main building the space for the physio gym has been slightly reduced to allow for an office to be included. An issue around storage for medical records has been resolved by changing the use of a corridor area and redundant plant area into a records storage area with a window in the current male ward being changed to a doorway for easy access. Finalised plans are now being drawn up. RM said he has spoken with everyone concerned and has looked at clinics and their space requirements. There is still to decisions to be made on the function of a couple of rooms but management is still looking for space to site a videoconference unit used for clinics and possible upgrading around ultrasound. EG has said that he felt the work on phase 1 would take between 12-14 weeks from start to finish and it is hoped that the units would be able to merge in early summer 2013.
Ultrasound - RM went onto explain that the current ultrasound machines in both Lawson memorial and Invergordon Hospitals are due to be replaced in October 2012. Unfortunately in today’s climate it is considered impossible to replace both machines and a business case is currently being worked up to decide what option will be supported. The machines cost in excess of £100K. RM said we have a full time radiographer on site whereas Invergordon is supported by a radiographer from Raigmore on one day per week. RM has been formulating a response with Dr Janet Mair, Clinical Lead for Community Hospitals, and a meeting is to be held at the beginning of October. He further informed the group that the current machines being used just do not give good enough imaging any more and this is no longer acceptable. KC suggested that using the Equipment Legacy Endowment Fund for such a resource being kept in Golspie would, she thought, be exactly what the fund was to be used for. RM said that this fund currently stood in the region of £37K and it may be that this would be considered if the League of Friends would consider it appropriate. RM thanked those present for their support and agreed to feed back to them as soon as he had anything further to add. He stressed that at the beginning of this redesign project the public were promised that there would be no reduction in services and he will fight to retain this facility in Golspie.
GL said she thought it may be time for the Friends of Cambusavie and the League of Friends to get together to try to raise funds for something in this area. Those present thought this was a good idea.
CL stated that he felt there was a lot more local support for the project locally as information has become available.
5. / NEXT STAGE
- An architectural technician and a Quantity Surveyor will be appointed to the project from Estates.
- Plans will be completed and displayed within the hospital areas for staff and the public to view.
- A building warrant to be applied for.
6. / TIMESCALES
As discussed earlier in the meeting, expect work to start in the Spring 2013 with completion in early summer.
7. / COMMUNICATION
RM reported that a flyer had been issued throughout Sutherland to GP surgeries, libraries, service points, churches, village halls as well as other sites. To date, only one response has been received from a lady in Helmsdale and that was regarding a misunderstanding of the wording in the flyer. RM said on re-reading the flyer he could understand how the wording could be misconstrued and he had replied to the lady concerned with an explanation and had offered to meet to discuss further but has received no further communication to date.
RM to speak to MT regarding a press release around the delay in timescales.
A question and answer article for staff in direct contact with the public is to be undertaken by the Northern Times. It may be a useful way of weaving the project into any discussions if, for example, AM or MS were to be interviewed.
RM had today attended the NHS Highland Annual Review, where they had acknowledged the cleaning issues within RaigmoreHospital and informed the review of the large amount of work ongoing in dealing with this issue.
RM further reported that a Hospital Environmental Inspection has recently been undertaken at the Belford, Lorne and BroadfordHospitals. An unexpected visit was also carried out at CaithnessGeneralHospital last Monday where good initial feedback has been received. A visit to Sutherland hospitals can be expected at any time. / RM
8. / AOB
- Outpatient Doors - new closers have been fitted and doors are working much better.
- Infection Control – LC has asked all areas to provide self assessments as the site will be inspected shortly. The flooring within the GP Unit corridor has already been highlighted and is to be replaced as well as a small amount of redecoration within the GP Unit being undertaken.
- GL raised the issue of the potholes in the driveway. This was filled in again recently so has improved slightly. Some monies within the redesign to do part of the driveway.
- Paths around Greenspace - not used the correct material and rain is washing away and making the route too rutted for using wheelchairs. RM said that there is to be a meeting in a few weeks and this will be raised. Look to have paths sprayed.
Gardening issue to be discussed also. Contractors were supposed to look after beds but they only spray weedkiller and don’t actually remove weeds. Looked at using the Community Pay Back Scheme but at this time they are unable to help due to other commitments. However, it has been agreed to keep the hospital grounds in mind for future work. RM said that in the interim we need to get someone to look after the beds.
MN suggested contacting GREAN, who have been looking for plots to tend.
Gate onto the main road has been installed at no cost.
RM asked the contractors to trim the hedges around the Cambusavie Unit as these had become overgrown and were encroaching on fire exits. They have only completed half the job at the moment so will return to complete. A fire evacuation exercise is scheduled to take place within the next few weeks. - MC wished to raise awareness of a dementia awareness event, called “The Milk is in the Oven” is taking place at the Bradbury Centre in BonarBridge on 27th September. All are welcome to attend.
9. / DATE & TIME OF NEXT MEETING
Discussion around the need for the October meeting to be held as there will be very little new information available by this time. Those present agreed that the next meeting of this group will take place on 6th November2012 at 5.30pm in the Day Room, Cambusavie Unit. If any news comes in regarding the ultrasound machine RM will be in contact.
Future Meeting Dates:
5th December
All meetings take place at 5.30pm.
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F/Adminlmh/Lawson/Site Improvement/Meeting Notes