Communities using hospitals in the Black Country are being encouraged to help shape planned healthcare services to better meet their needs by sharing their views in a survey launched today (17 June).
The Black Country Provider Collaborative (BCPC) – a partnership between Dudley, Sandwell and West Birmingham, Walsall and Wolverhampton NHS Trusts – is currently developing ideas to improve planned (elective) care through the creation of surgical hubs.
The BCPC is working to:
- Manage rising demand for services
- Improve access and patient experience
- Deliver more joined up (integrated), patient-centred care
We have identified the funding needed to potentially set up a dedicated elective (planned) care surgical hub at Sandwell Health Campus. The idea would see Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust and Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust bring together some of their surgical services at Sandwell Health Campus to carry out simple / routine procedures for general surgery, orthopaedics and gynaecology.
In addition to gathering feedback from patients currently awaiting these types of procedures, the BCPC wants to hear the views of as many people as possible who use healthcare services which is why it has developed the six-week survey.
Diane Wake, Elective Care Lead for the Black Country, said: “Timely, high-quality care is so important to our communities, and we want to give them the opportunity to reshape elective care to make it work better for patients and staff alike. I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to share their views—your voice will help us build a stronger, more responsive health system for the future.”
Jonathan Odum, Medical Director for the Black County Provider Collaborative added: “Creating centres of excellence for planned surgery will not only improve outcomes and patient experience but also help reduce waiting times across our hospitals. We want to ensure any changes we make are informed by the people who use our services, so we’re asking the public to tell us what really matters to them.”
Other ideas currently being explored include:
- The further development of our services to separate emergency care from planned care through the concept of protected ‘cold site’ surgical hubs
- Use of these hubs to free up space at local hospitals and bring together a wider range of elective services more efficiently
- Development of new specialist services locally so fewer patients need to travel outside the Black Country for treatment
Patients who are currently waiting for surgery, have recent experience of elective care, or simply want to help shape a better future for local health services can find out further information and complete the survey here. It is open until 27 July – all responses will be independently analysed and used to inform future elective care improvements.