NHS Highland Board unanimously endorses Caithness redesign recommendations

30th January 2019

The board of NHS Highland unanimously gave the green light to the next stage of its multi-million pound redesign of services in Caithness at a meeting on Tuesday 29th January 2019.

With the board endorsing the recommendations made by its Health and Social Care committee (HSCC) last week, the board will now seek the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport's approval prior to moving to start the business case process. By agreeing the HSCC recommendations the board accepted that the case for change had been made during the public consultation; that there was support for the set-up of proposed care hubs/villages in Thurso and Wick; and for investment in Caithness General Hospital as part of the wider redesign across the county.

The board also heard that further detailed work was required on plans over whether to relocate some GP practices to the hubs and the location of the Wick care hub/village as part of the proposals.

During a presentation by Michelle Johnstone, NHS Highland's area manager North, highlighted that a survey conducted during the three-month consultation held last year showed there was broad support for the proposals with seven out of ten people in favour of change.

But Michelle said: "The consensus in relation to the relocating of GP practices and the location of the hub in Wick is that they still require work to be done. So further technical and financial assessments will have to be carried out."

Michelle finished by thanking everyone who gave up their time during the consultation.

She said: "Finally a word of thanks to the project team, to the members of the public and all the stakeholders that helped get us to the point where we are today."

Councillor Deidre Mackay, the Highland Council representative on the board, said: "It's really fantastic that we have reached this stage, and it is a sea change from where we were not so long ago.

"Arguably, what took place in Caithness was the most intensive public consultation ever carried out in Scotland.

"What I witnessed was the difference between consultation and engagement. Consultation can be distant and it can be dry but still ticks a box. Engagement is more meaningful and it's very close to people. It's about active listening and responding to the public."

Adding: “This process continues, as we see from the issues still being considered and the recommendations by the Scottish Health Council. The importance of on-going engagement just cannot be underestimated.

“I’d like to pay particular tribute to our staff. It’s not uncommon for staff and public agencies to attend meetings in their own time. They do this. What was different in this case was the sheer intensity. Our staff applied themselves very patiently and with enormous commitment and compassion, and it’s compassion that’s so important. Working through the issues alongside the people of Caithness and making sure that every voice had the opportunity to be heard including finding ways to engage with the silent voices.

“Our staff were truly remarkable and we owe them all a big ‘thank you’. Noting ‘this was in addition to their day jobs’"

The board papers and report described that between 20th August and 23rd November 2018 the project team attended some 105 meetings and events across the county and included two mail drops to all homes in the area.

David Alston, chair of NHS Highland, said: “I’d like to thank our partners, as we wouldn’t be where we are today without them, and the independent facilitation by Higher Ground Healthcare Planning.

“And last of all, can I thank Maimie Thompson, our outgoing head of PR and Engagement, for her involvement and for all of her work on this project and, indeed, for everything that she has done for us in NHS Highland over the years. On behalf of the board our very best wishes to her for the future."

The interim chief executive of NHS Highland, Dr Gregor Smith, said: “May I congratulate everyone who has been involved in the process. There may be an opportunity to learn from such processes, in particular as far as our staff are concerned, so that as an organisation we can build on how we can support them in the future.”

Subject to Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport’s approval, the next milestone will be submission of an Initial Agreement to the board meeting in summer 2019, as the first step in the business case process.

Step two in the process is an Outline Business Case planned to be submitted by summer 2020, with the final step, the Full Business Case, by summer 2021 and project delivery and commissioning planned for 2022.

Read the full report at https://bit.ly/2SekMze