Healthcare in Somerset

Healthcare in Somerset is now the responsibility of three Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) covering Somerset, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset.

History

From 1947 to 1965, National Health Service services in Somerset were managed by the South-Western Regional Hospital Board. In 1965 a new Board was formed for Wessex which also covered Somerset. In 1974 the Boards were abolished and replaced by Regional Health Authorities; the whole of Somerset came under the South West RHA. Regions were reorganised in 1996 and Somerset came under the South and West (Wessex and South Western) Regional Health Authority. Somerset had its own Area Health Authority from 1974 until 1992. Regional Health Authorities were reorganised and renamed Strategic Health Authorities in 2002, with Somerset part of Dorset and Somerset SHA. In 2006 regions were again reorganised and Somerset came under NHS South West until that was abolished in 2013. There were three Primary Care Trusts for the area: Bath & North East Somerset PCT, North Somerset PCT, and Somerset PCT.

Sustainability and transformation plans

Somerset formed a sustainability and transformation plan area in March 2016 with Dr Matthew Dolman, the Chair of Somerset CCG, as its leader. Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire formed a separate sustainability and transformation plan area with Robert Woolley, Chief Executive of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, as its leader[1] It was announced in February 2018, that Stephen Ladyman was to chair the organisation.[2]

Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust are planning to merge in 2019, forming an organisation which would provide acute, community and mental health services. [3]

Commissioning

The Clinical Commissioning Group for Bath and North East Somerset proposed to set up a pooled budget with Bath and North East Somerset Council in August 2015.[4] Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group proposed to set up a "joint health and care board" with a "significantly pooled budget" with Somerset County Council and NHS England after it was rated inadequate in August 2017.[5] The CCGs for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire are to merge in April 2018.[6]

Primary care

There are 15 GP practices in Bath and North East Somerset CCG and 25 in North Somerset CCG. Somerset CCG has 63 practices divided into nine GP Federations. Out-of-hours services are provided by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust set up a subsidiary company called Symphony Healthcare Services in 2016. It took over the running of three small practices, with a combined registered list of 12,500 in March 2016. Symphony is also forming a partnership with South Somerset Primary Healthcare which will become an accountable care organisation managing an outcomes based budget for the 120,000 population of South Somerset.[7] In February 2018, it was reported that there had been a 15.6% increase in the emergency admissions rate in the area between 2014-15 and the 12 months to September 2017.[8]

Yeovil Walk-in centre opened in 2009 and was closed in 2017. The Somerset CCG said too many people were misusing the town centre facility with relatively minor ailments that could be solved by a pharmacist or by ringing 111. It was replaced by an urgent care service at the hospital open from 10am to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.[9]

Acute care

The main providers of NHS acute hospital care in the county are Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and Weston General Hospital. Taunton and Somerset Foundation Trust and Somerset Partnership FT decided in June 2017 to set up a joint management team overseen by a single chief executive.[10] North Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group believes Weston Area Health Trust should become “part of a larger organisation”.[11]

Mental health and community services

NHS Mental Health services are provided by Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Somerset CCG is planning a significant reduction in community hospital beds provided by the partnership trust. There are 312 at present and the CCG considers only 210 are needed. They are also planning to procure an integrated service for patients with long term conditions.[12] It is also planning a health campus in Shepton Mallet which will have surgical and diagnostic services and medical assessment beds. The service provider will also be expected to collaborate closely with local charities and voluntary groups.[13]

Since April 2010, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust has provided tiers 3 and 4 of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Bath and North East Somerset following a competitive tender. Previously this service had been operated primarily by the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. The service is jointly funded by the NHS and the local authority.[14]

Virgin Care won a seven year contract to act as prime provider of community services in Bath and North East Somerset for an annual cost of £69.2 million in December 2016. This includes adult social work services, public health nursing, integrated re-ablement, speech and language therapy, continuing healthcare and children’s community health. Most were previously run by Sirona Care & Health. Some will be provided directly by Virgin and some contracted out. It is intended that the services will be more joined up and focussed on preventative care because locality hubs aligned with GP practices will be set up.[15]

In 2019, Sirona Care & Health won a 10-year adult community services contract to start in April 2020. Previously it had provided the service jointly with Bristol Community Health and North Somerset Community Partnership.[16]

Palliative care in the county is provided by St. Margaret's Hospice, which operates from Taunton and Yeovil, and Weston Hospicecare in Weston-super-Mare.

HealthWatch

Healthwatch is an organisation set up under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to act as a voice for patients. There are three separate local Healthwatches in the county covering Somerset, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset.

See also

References

  1. ^ "The leaders chosen for 41 of England's STPs". Health Service Journal. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Former health minister to chair STP". Health Service Journal. 14 February 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Acute and mental health trusts plan landmark merger". Health Service Journal. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Somerset commissioners propose single health and social care budget". Health Service Journal. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  5. ^ Carding, Nick (2 August 2017). "Inadequate CCG moves to join with council". Health Service Journal. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  6. ^ "Mergers involving 11 CCGs get green light". Health Service Journal. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  7. ^ "Vanguard FT's company to take over GP practices". Health Service Journal. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  8. ^ "Best and worst performing vanguards". Health Service Journal. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  9. ^ "NHS Mass closure of NHS walk-in centres is fuelling winter crisis, claim campaigners". Guardian. 7 January 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  10. ^ "Acute and mental health trusts to combine leadership teams". Health Service Journal. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  11. ^ "Smallest hospital trust moves closer to downgrade and merger". Health Service Journal. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  12. ^ "Beds could go under Somerset community services plans". Health Service Journal. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  13. ^ "Shepton Mallet Health Campus' £100 million contract offer". Shepton Mallet Journal. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  14. ^ Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (PDF) (Report). Bath and North East Somerset Council. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  15. ^ "Virgin Care set to run social work service in unprecedented deal". Community Care. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  16. ^ "CCG awards £1.2bn community services contract". Health Service Journal. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.

External links


This page was last updated at 2019-11-12 12:25 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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