Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Transformation and partnerships that provided a post-implementation update in respect to North Durham CCG; Durham, Dales, Easington and Sedgefield CCG and Darlington CCG and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust’s reconfiguration of Organic Inpatient (Dementia) wards serving County Durham and Darlington (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Director of Operations, TEWV confirmed that mitigating factors were still in place following the implementation of the reconfiguration of organic inpatient dementia wards.   She advised it was often difficult to offer a choice at admission, as usually people were admitted as an emergency.  However, a choice was always offered and in small number of cases this did not occur but there were specific reasons for this, and no one was refused.

She went on to explain that a number of suggestions had been implemented such as visiting times being more flexible and that carers could join in conference calls.

There had been no impact on re-admissions and staff could spend more time on the wards delivering care.

The Chairman referred to travel costs and claims for overnight stays and was advised that 2 patients were admitted to York as the patients on the ward at the time were very challenging and it had been deemed unsafe to admit any further patients.  The service manager was in contact with the facility at York on a daily basis and the patients were transferred to Auckland Park

Councillor Temple thanked and congratulated the Trust for the report and although the people in his ward were not happy with the closure of Lanchester Road, he was pleased that the mitigation plan was still in place.  He was pleased to see that the mitigation offer was built in as part of the package and he was pleased to see the positive attitudes of staff.  The Director of Operations confirmed that this was embedded in the process now.

Resolved:

(i)        That the report be received.

(ii)       That the comments of the Committee in respect of the impact of the reconfiguration of Organic Impatient (Dementia) wards serving County Durham and Darlington post-implementation be noted.