Transforming Southwark's NHS

Consultation

From January 2008 to April 2009 NHS Southwark consulted local people and stakeholders about plans for changing the way we deliver primary and community health care.

By the end of the consultation process, we had conducted in-depth interviews with 1,100 Southwark residents including 250 people from groups identified as hard to reach. We held 7 focus groups and have spoken to local Councilors who had the opportunity to pass on the views of the people they represent. Over 200 people completed responses to the document and senior staff from the PCT attended community meetings across the borough to explain our proposals and listen to the views of local people.

The completion of a successful consultation process has provided a clear mandate for change locally. NHS Southwark described a clear vision for primary and community care supported by a clinical strategy and delivered through four locality based networks of care.

Following on from the wide reaching consultation we carried out in 2009, NHS Southwark held four meetings in the four localities of Southwark in Autumn 2010 to update local people on how we were taking plans forward and what this would mean for health services in local areas. The four workshop reports for each locality are available to read from the links below:

• Borough and Walworth
• Peckham, Camberwell and Nunhead
• Bermondsey and Rotherhithe
• Dulwich

Since the consultation was undertaken the economic situation has changed dramatically. The year-on-year growth in NHS funding is not likely to continue whilst demand for health care will continue to grow. This means the way we deliver healthcare needs to change. We need to focus on quality, making services accessible, evidence-based and focused around the needs of each patient.

The focus of the proposed model remains relevant: Prevention, Early Detection, Choice, Integrated care and support for self-management.

• The services provided by those networks are still needed: GP services, Outpatients (including antenatal and postnatal care), Diagnostics, foot health, health & wellbeing advice and support among other services.

Transforming Southwark’s NHS must also deliver:

• A higher level of ambition – in terms of services delivered closer to home that represent best possible value for money.
• New ways of working – that do not rely on new buildings alone, but make full use of existing infrastructure.

In particular we must: 

• Move care out of hospitals into primary and community settings where it makes sense for patients and represents value for money
• Increase productivity in primary and community services
• Make sure people can access the right service at the right time
• Improve the way we support the management of long-term conditions and self-care
• Intervene at an earlier stage to keep people healthy
• Make sure we buy clinically effective health interventions
• Involve patients in decision making at every level
• Decommission services where it makes sense

In practice, this means making better use of existing resources. We can no go on longer talking about new buildings and what they might do, certainly in the short to middle term.

This and other developments will lead to a dramatic transformation in the way that health services are delivered in Southwark as we seek to improve the way we deliver services in the borough. NHS Southwark is looking to modernise and transform NHS services in the borough.

If you have any question about this or want to get involved please contact:

Rosemary Watts, Head of Communication & Engagement
Tel: 020 7525 7888
southwark.communication@southwarkpct.nhs.uk