Individuals and organisations are invited provide ideas or evidence to the NHS Path to excellence programme

A second public listening panel is giving interested individuals or organisations the opportunity to provide evidence or ideas on solving the challenges facing local NHS hospital services across South Tyneside and Sunderland.

NHS partner organisations published an updated Draft Case for Change on phase two of the Path to Excellence in February 2019, which builds upon the Draft Case for Change published in July 2018.

It explains the pressures and challenges facing local hospital services in South Tyneside and Sunderland and why services must change, and describes some early thinking and ‘working ideas’ on how some of these issues could be solved.

The Path to Excellence Draft Case for Change is one of three main areas of work across the whole local health and care economy, which will also look at how to transform care outside of hospital and help support local communities to stay fit and well by focussing on prevention.

Clinical design teams led by local doctors, nurses and therapy staff from both hospitals working together over several months have developed some different possible ways services could be organised in order to create the best possible hospital services for the future.

Now, as part of the on-going involvement process to develop solutions, NHS leaders are once again asking interested individuals or organisations if they have key evidence or ideas that the NHS should consider as part of finding future solutions, and the opportunity to present them directly to NHS leaders at a specially arranged public listening panel in June.

Date: Friday 7th June 2019

Time: 10.00am to 12.30pm (depending on uptake)

Venue: Sunderland Bangladeshi International Centre, 30 Tatham Street, Sunderland, SR1 2QD

The panel will be chaired by Nicholas Duffin, director of The Consultation Institute, an independent, not-for-profit best practice Institute, promoting high-quality public and stakeholder consultation in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

In order to ensure as many people as possible can access the event, it will also be broadcast live on the internet via social media platforms and NHS websites.

Interested parties can book a 30-minute slot at the event which takes place on Friday 7th June between 10am and 12.30pm.

Participants are asked to submit any written materials three working days in advance, 5pm Monday 3rd June, to allow members of the panel to prepare and to ensure the information is formally received.

Attendees will have the opportunity to present their evidence and there will be an opportunity for questions from panel members relating to the attendees evidence.

Each group is offered maximum of four places to attend, with one person nominated to act as spokesperson to present the group’s evidence to the panel.

The NHS will draw upon the evidence presented to continue to work with staff and clinical teams on viable solutions to be brought to formal public consultation which is expected later in 2019. This will be a wider public debate on how to create the best possible hospital services for the future to serve local communities.

Phase Two of the Path to Excellence is the final part of the clinical transformation of local hospital services covering the following areas of hospital-based care:

• Emergency care and acute medicine – the care provided when patients arrive at the Emergency Department or need emergency admission to hospital
• Emergency surgery - the care provided when patients are admitted to hospital as an emergency and require an immediate operation
• Planned care (including surgery and outpatients) – the care provided when patients are referred to hospital by their GP for a test, scan, treatment or operation.

To book a time to give evidence at the event, please select a 30 minute slot when registering your details via Eventbrite.

Detailed information

Who will attend?

It is not proposed that the panel would receive evidence from partner organisations as there are other ways for those bodies to share their views on the draft case for change.

Instead it is expected that action, voluntary and community groups, trade unions and others will be interested in attending this event.

In order to ensure as many people as possible can access the event, it will also be broadcast live on the internet via social media platforms and NHS websites.

How will the panel work?

• Interested parties to book a 30 minute slot via Eventbrite system
• Each group is offered a maximum of four places to attend the meeting, with one person nominated to act as spokesperson and they would present the group’s evidence to the panel.
  • You are asked to submit any written materials three working days in advance, 5pm Monday 3rd June, to allow members of the panel to prepare and to ensure your information is formally received
  • Attend the panel event and present your evidence and ideas – approx. 15 mins to present and 15 minutes for questions
  • Panel chair will facilitate questions from panel members relating to your evidence
  • The session will be broadcast via social media platforms
  • Your evidence and further information gained from the session will be used as part of assessing and developing solutions

The panel will be chaired by Nicholas Duffin, director of The Consultation Institute, an independent, not-for-profit best practice Institute, promoting high-quality public and stakeholder consultation in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

What will happen after the panel event?

The NHS will draw upon the evidence presented to continue to work with staff and clinical teams on viable solutions to be brought to formal public consultation which is expected later in 2019. This will be a wider public debate on how to create the best possible hospital services for the future to serve local communities.

Phase Two of the Path to Excellence is the final part of the clinical transformation of local hospital services covering the following areas of hospital-based care:

• Emergency care and acute medicine – the care provided when patients arrive at the Emergency Department or need emergency admission to hospital
• Emergency surgery - the care provided when patients are admitted to hospital as an emergency and require an immediate operation
• Planned care (including surgery and outpatients) – the care provided when patients are referred to hospital by their GP for a test, scan, treatment or operation.

To find out more visit www.pathtoexcellence.org.uk

Help to prepare evidence

The NHS is keen to hear of any evidence, ideas or solutions that you think are important to be considered.

Your evidence should be relevant to the issues highlighted in the draft case for change and it may be helpful to consider the following questions as part of your submissions:

• Information they think the NHS needs to consider in response to the information and ‘working ideas’ set out in the updated Draft Case for Change
• Arguments for and against the information and ‘working ideas’ set out in the updated Draft Case for Change

• Proposals for any other ideas, issues or additions to the Draft Case for Change

To help you there are a number of resources available including:

• Draft case for change
• Easy read version
• Slide pack
• Animation

By booking a place at the public event you are agreeing to:

• Submitting your evidence via by 5pm on Monday 2nd June 2019 NHS.excellence@nhs.net

This is to allow the expert panel to consider your information in advance and give it due consideration.

• Present your evidence in around 15 minutes, allowing 15 minutes for the panel discussion and ask you questions. (Please note this may be longer or shorter depending on uptake of people wishing to attend to give evidence)
• Being filmed as part of the live event that will be broadcast via digital channels such as Facebook live.