Plans to transform clinical services across Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion have moved to the next stage following Hywel Dda University Health Board’s recent meeting to consider the programme’s progress.

At its public board meeting, members approved the move to phase two (the Design Phase) of the Transforming Clinical Services (TCS) programme having considered the independent analysis report (undertaken by Opinion Research Services) on the TCS listening and engagement exercise (the Discover Phase), which concluded in September.

This next stage will involve a series of design workshops, with a wide range of reference and focus groups to test options as they develop to ensure a continuous engagement approach. The design phase has a challenging timeframe, including a proposed 12-week consultation in spring 2018 and progress will be overseen by a Whole System Design Steering Group.

Dr. Phil Kloer, medical director at Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “We are pleased that people have taken the time to get involved in these important discussions about our future healthcare services and we will continue that engagement approach in the next phase.”

Preparations are already underway for a comprehensive programme of communication and engagement activities with the local population across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire next year.

It will build on the success, and learning points, from the TCS listening and engagement exercise ‘the Big Conversation’, which involved sharing information widely in electronic and hard copy format to approximately 4,000 stakeholders, engaging in discussions in over 80 different meetings, drop-in events, workshops and other activities with a wide range of stakeholders including staff, patients and the public, resulting in 409 questionnaires and 19 written submissions being received.

In parallel, following significant, ongoing recruitment challenges across Hywel Dda, the Health Board set up a dedicated Task and Finish Group to support the assessment and development of the future model for the Paediatric Ambulatory Care Unit (PACU) at Withybush Hospital. To supplement and strengthen this work, an independent clinical review took place, which identified a number of strengths within the existing service provision, including the commitment and willingness of paediatric staff to develop services based on best practice and well-motivated clinical leadership to deliver the highest possible quality care for children.

However, the review also made a series of medium to longer term recommendations regarding the role and importance of the PACU service, plans to restore day case elective surgery for children at Withybush Hospital and the further integration of paediatric medical teams at both Withybush and Glangwili hospitals.

Having scrutinised these recommendations, the Board has agreed to take these forward and to incorporate further planning of Women and Children’s services under the umbrella of their ‘Transforming Clinical Services’ programme.

Dr. Kloer added: “It is important to reassure people that, at the present time, the operating hours of the PACU at Withybush Hospital will continue to be from 10 am to 6 pm, seven days a week.

“We are making significant efforts to progress the development of a safe and sustainable longer term staffing model for the unit as part of the wider Transforming Clinical Services design phase and formal consultation in 2018 and we will provide further updates as this work develops.”

For the latest news and updated from Hywel Dda University Health Board visit www.hywelddahb.wales.nhs.uk