GP News
Head and neck services review
review of head and neck cancer services has been underway since November
2009 and covers Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bath & North
East Somerset, Somerset and Wiltshire PCT areas. The aim of the review is to
improve outcomes for patients with head and neck cancers through the
delivery of excellent services by identifying the best service model and
location for these services. The scope of the review was expanded to cover
ENT and OMF services for patients treated in the Bristol hospitals based on
feedback from clinicians. For patients receiving ENT and OMF services
outside of Bristol, services are not expected to change.
A service model has been developed jointly by clinicians from all the
trusts in Bristol and Bath providing these services and endorsed by
patients, PCTs , acute trusts and Local Involvement Networks (LINks). The
model outlines a hub, satellite and spoke approach. This proposes the
centralisation of complex surgical care in a Bristol hub with other services
where possible being provided closer to home. The satellites will provide
some diagnostics and routine surgery and the spokes will provide
rehabilitation and follow up.
There were two potential options for the location of the Bristol hub:
within the new Southmead Hospital ( part of North Bristol NHS Trust ) and
within the BRI (part of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust).
An advisory panel was chaired by Professor Patrick Bradley, who has
recently retired as Consultant Otolaryngologist / Head and Neck Oncologic
Surgeon from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and has been involved
in the Peer Review process. The panel met to assess stakeholder views and
consider current activity data to make a recommendation to the Project Board
on the preferred site for the Bristol hub. The panel was asked to assess the
important clinical adjacencies from presentations from key stakeholders,
including all the clinical disciplines involved in the treatment of patients
with head and neck cancers, patient representatives, Local Involvement
Networks (LINks) and Trust managers. They came to the conclusion that UHB
should be recommended as the site for the centralised hub because it could
best provide:-
- Clinicians’ aspirations for a Head and Neck Service and Institute
which maximises integrated working and adjacencies
- Likely developments in cancer treatment in the medium term e.g.
Oncological interventions
- The location that offered best opportunity for coordinated service
provision for patients
The Project Board ratified the Panel’s recommendation and this is now
being subjected to a process of due diligence. This process is designed to
test that UHB can deliver the agreed clinical model within the resources
available and meet the required performance targets.
If you would like to know more about the Review, we would be happy to
come along to one of your Locality Board meetings. Please let Emma Phillips
know if this is the case. Emma can be contacted at
emma.phillips@bristol.nhs.uk
or on 0117 984 1629.
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