* The public consultation ended 30 April 2012. The findings from the consultation will be reported here in June 2012.*
Getting Better Together
Public consultation on acute health services for children and young people
NHS South of Tyne and Wear is keen to hear your views on its plan to improve acute health services for children and young people in Gateshead, Sunderland and South Tyneside. The closing date for responses is 31 March 2012.
Background
Our vision is to work together to make South of Tyne and Wear healthy for all.
We aim to achieve this by improving the health of local communities and ensuring excellent patient care through the wise and effective use of public money.
Following an in-depth clinical review, it has become clear that we need to improve local services for sick and injured children. These services have served the community well for many years, but advances in medical treatment and prevention and the nature of childhood illness means that they no longer meet the needs of children, young people or their families.
That is why we would like to make a number of changes to the way services are delivered across South of Tyne and Wear. We are very keen to hear your views on our plan.
Acute refers to illness that is often sudden in onset and can be severe, but generally lasts only a short time before the patient recovers fully.
Why do the services need to change?
These days, advances in paediatric medicine mean that childhood illnesses are very rare and children and young people seldom have to stay in hospital overnight. This means that, at times, fewer than half of the overnight beds for children in the South of Tyne and Wear area (covering Gateshead, Sunderland and South Tyneside) are occupied each night.
However, children and young people suffer from more chronic illness now than in the past; for example, conditions like asthma and diabetes. These types of childhood illness can be managed safely and more appropriately in the child’s own home with support from healthcare staff.
It is often the case that children attend hospital when they could have been treated closer to home by their own general practitioner (GP) or in a walk-in service – for example, children with gastroenteritis. What’s more, some of these children are admitted overnight when they could have been supported without a hospital stay. We know that unnecessary admissions can disrupt family life and children’s education.
Last year, more than 12,000 children and young people were admitted to local hospitals. Many of them could have been managed in the community.
As a result, we believe that we are not providing the type of services that acutely sick and injured children and their families need. It is also important to consider value for money and to ensure that we offer the best care in the most cost-effective way. That is why we would like to make a number of changes to the way services are delivered across the South of Tyne and Wear area.
What changes are being proposed?
We want to see more children and young people receiving care closer to home or in their 
own home and fewer presenting at hospital and being admitted for overnight stays. To ensure that this is possible, we plan to increase the range of services available in the community.
For those children who do need hospital support, we will establish assessment units within Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead, South Tyneside District Hospital, South Shields, and Sunderland Royal Hospital.
A small number of children will need to be admitted for overnight stays or longer periods. To meet their needs, we plan to create a single, dedicated paediatric inpatient unit to serve the South of Tyne and Wear area. This would be located at Sunderland Royal Hospital. Children and young people would also be able to use the service provided by the Great North Children’s Hospital at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.
What are the options for the future?
Option two is our preferred option. It provides a good balance between community and hospital services and means that the small number of children who attend during the night can be managed within their local area.
Why will this ensure better services?
We believe that we can improve the services available to acutely sick and injured children and young people and their families across NHS South of Tyne and Wear. Our plan will deliver:
- high-quality care closer to home for the majority of children
- support within the family home from the children’s community nursing team
- a comprehensive hospital service that is better staffed and resourced than at present
- a more joined-up approach to the care and treatment of acutely sick and injured children.
How can I have my say?
You can submit your comments using the consultation questionnaire (click here to download as a Word file).
Alternatively, you can call us for a copy of the full consultation document and questionnaire on 0191 529 7374.
Myth busting
1. False - Any child requiring more than a couple of hours stay will be moved to Sunderland Royal Hospital
True – Children will be able to stay for up to 24 hours in the short stay assessment unit before being discharged or transferred to an inpatient unit. Children in Gateshead could be transferred to the Great North Children’s Hospital just four miles away for inpatient care.
2. False – Parents will have a choice to go to Sunderland Royal Infirmary or the RVI but eventually there will be no choice and any child needing to stay in more than a few hours will be sent to Sunderland.
True – Parents will have the choice for their child to be admitted to the inpatient units at Sunderland or Newcastle depending on where is nearer their home if their child’s condition required inpatient treatment.
3. False – the proposals are about cost cutting.
True – The current inpatient wards have an average 50% under occupancy rate meaning the services aren’t sustainable for the future. £1.5 million more is being invested by NHS South of Tyne and Wear into children’s services to support the new short stay assessment units and community nursing teams to provide services which fit the level of care which is needed by over 90% of local children.
4. False – The proposals mean the beginning of the end for children’s services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead and also for maternity services.
True – The proposals are redesigning services to modernise them and offer the best care for children tailored to their needs which have changed over time. There are no plans to review maternity services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
5. False – Some nights, especially in winter the inpatient unit at Gateshead is full to overflowing
True – The NHS plans for busy periods such as during winter when more children are ill and has extra capacity when needed. Under the new proposals less children would be staying as in patients as they would be observed in the short stay assessment unit and discharged as soon as they were well.