Issue - meetings

This paper has been prepared to ensure that the B&NES Health and Wellbeing Select Committee are kept up-to-date with the proposed relocation of the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD) Bath Centre for Fatigue Service (BCFS) from the Mineral Water Hospital site to a purpose built RNHRD and Therapies Centre on the RUH’s Combe Park site.

Clare O’Farrell, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, RUH introduced this report to the Select Committee. She informed them that there will be no change in the level of service provision for patients of the RNHRD Bath Centre for Fatigue Services. She explained that the same range of outpatient services will be provided at the new RNRHD and Therapies Centre and patients will continue to be seen and treated by the same team to the same high standards, only the location will change.

She stated that the proposed new location will provide better facilities, including enhanced group rooms and improved waiting room facilities. There will be improved physical access, including flat access to the new Centre, ground floor clinic and group rooms and a purpose designed building which can better accommodate those with restricted mobility.

She said around thirty attendees were present at an informal engagement session which was convened earlier in the year, as an addition to a pre-arranged Friends and Family event. She explained that they had the opportunity to see plans and hear about the detail for the new Centre. She said that attendees were generally positive about new and improved facilities on the understanding of the same quality of service at the new location.

She explained that a total of 22 people completed at least some of the engagement questionnaire, with 17 completing the full questionnaire.

She said that subject to the Committee’s endorsement of the plan to relocate the RNHRD’s Bath Centre for Fatigue Services to a purpose built RNHRD and Therapies Centre on the RUH’s Combe Park site, construction of the Centre will get underway in 2017, and the services will relocate when the new build is complete, scheduled for 2019.

She added that the next phase of PPE activities relate to proposals to relocate the RNHRD’s Pain Management services. Planning is underway to launch the final round of PPE activity in early 2018.

The Select Committee RESOLVED to:

(i)  Note the outcome of the impact assessments and patient and public engagement activities which provided opportunities for patients, staff, stakeholders and the public to provide feedback on the proposed move, and which confirmed that the effects of this change are considered minimal and that there are a number of positive aspects to the change, for current and future patients.

(ii)  Endorse the proposal to relocate the RNHRD Bath Centre for Fatigue Services from the Mineral Water Hospital site to a purpose built RNHRD and Therapies Centre on the RUH’s Combe Park site.