The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Angus will have fewer hospital beds in future
NHS chiefs admit county health services will be reduced under new ‘model of care’
A major review of health services in Angus will lead to fewer hospital beds and reduced facilities, health chiefs have admitted.
Inpatient facilities, out of hours services and minor injury units are being examined as a new model of care for the county is being developed.
Proposals will go to Angus Integrated Joint Board in January.
An internal document seen by The Courier claims there are several challenges in Angus including staffing problems and an ageing workforce. The “relatively small” number of hospital beds over five locations “impacts on efficiency”, the report added.
A spokesperson for Angus Health and Social Care Partnership, which is carrying out the review, said: “Changes are required across a range of service areas.
“We must ensure that we are using our resources in the most effective way and getting best value for our financial resources.”
More health facilities in Angus are under threat of closure as a major review of inpatient services is under way.
Wards at Arbroath Infirmary, Montrose Infirmary, Stracathro Hospital and Whitehills Health and Community Care Centre as well as Brechin Infirmary – which has not been operational since October 2015 – are being assessed in the review.
The inpatient wards cover medicine for the elderly, psychiatry of old age, palliative care and stroke rehabilitation.
Health chiefs are assessing a variety of services as they seek to develop a new Angus Care Model, with minor injury units and out-of-hours services also being examined.
A final report providing options and costs for a new model of care, as well as feedback from public engagement events, will be considered by the Angus Integration Joint Board in January.
The review is being carried out by the Angus Health and Social Care Partnership which is the body responsible for delivering the services in Angus.
An update to NHS staff, seen by The
“The review into inpatient care services aims to ensure that future inpatient facilities ... meet the changing health care needs of the people of Angus.
Courier, says there are a “range of challenges” in providing inpatient care under the current operating model.
Staffing challenges, an ageing workforce and an inefficient number of beds at each location were highlighted in the internal document.
It states: “Each of our inpatient sites operate with a relatively small bed base of nine to 22 beds.
“This impacts on efficiency and is vulnerable to short-term staffing challenges in terms of recruiting and retaining an appropriate workforce.
“The review into inpatient care services aims to ensure that future inpatient facilities and model of care meet the changing health care needs of the people of Angus.”
An audit of the number of occupied beds was carried out on a day last month and it found that 77 people were in an Angus hospital bed, leaving 39 beds empty.
The document states: “Data from the past year shows us that this is a typical level of occupancy. On average 37 beds are unoccupied each day across Angus.
“The audit team considered that 49/77 patients could have benefited from community intervention earlier in their patient journey, had appropriate services been available, which may have avoided the need for a hospital admission.”
The report also noted a high proportion of the nurses working at the Angus wards could retire over the next few years. Some 44% of the nurses working as part of inpatient services are aged over 50.
rmclaren@thecourier.co.uk