New Group To Help Shape Caithness Health Services

12th June 2010

A new group is to be set up to help shape the future delivery of local health services in West Caithness.

A reference group is to be established to look at the health needs of local people and to consider the best way to meet these needs in the future within the available resources.
And North Highland Community Health Partnership (CHP) wants to hear from any local people who would like to join the reference group and any groups and organisations that would like to be represented on it.

The review of services in West Caithness was prompted by the inefficient use of beds at Dunbar Hospital and the need to develop services, such as community based rehabilitation services.

A stakeholder group was set up, involving members of the North Highland CHP Management Team, staff, local GPs, Highland Council Social Work and patient and public representatives.

The stakeholder group has been looking at the issues and challenges and has done some initial work on outlining potential options for the future. This will be fed into the new reference group, which is being set up as part of a wider public engagement exercise.
The new reference group, which will meet for the first time on June 28, will include members of the former stakeholder group, more members of the local community and representatives of other groups and partner organisations.

Caithness Locality General Manager, Pauline Craw, said: "The aim of the exercise is to ensure that we are providing good quality, effective and efficient healthcare in the most appropriate setting and that this is based on the needs of our patients.

"The reference group will be looking at existing services and the changing health needs of the community to help us redesign services to make the best use of the resources available to us.

"And we are looking forward to working with staff, patients, carers, the local community and other interested parties to ensure this is achieved."

A number of local people responded to an earlier appeal for individuals who were involved in or interested in health services in West Caithness to take part in the public engagement exercise, but there is still time for anyone else wishing to join the reference group to get in touch.

North Highland CHP is particularly keen to hear from local groups and organisations who wish to have a representative on the reference group.

Liz Smith, who is a public member of the North Highland CHP Committee and was a member of the stakeholder group, said: "I would encourage members of the public to become involved in the reference group.

"They would learn why there is a need for change and help make a positive contribution to the health of local people by taking part actively in informed dialogue and offering creative suggestions about the future of local health services."

Anyone wishing to become involved in the reference group should contact Tracy Overton on 01955 880221 or at tracy.overton[AT]nhs.net by Wednesday June 23.