Published on: 17 October 2019
Health bosses in South Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham are encouraging members of the public to get involved in a series of public engagement roadshows taking place this autumn.
Beginning on Thursday 17 October, more than 30 sessions will be held at various venues across South Tyneside and Sunderland, as well as parts of East and North Durham. People will be able to find out more about Phase Two of the Path to Excellence programme and the work taking place to create outstanding future hospital services, as well as the wider ambitions of the region’s NHS to build a health and care system which is fit for the future.
People are being given the chance to share what makes them most proud of the NHS, where they would like to see improvements and what concerns them the most about the future. They will also be able to find out more about the region’s Integrated Care System* and how local organisations are working together to address the challenges facing the NHS.
As part of the ‘Join our Journey’ roadshows, people can find out the latest information on Phase Two of Path to Excellence which is looking at how to create outstanding future hospital services in South Tyneside and Sunderland.
Phase Two of Path to Excellence is looking at how hospital services in South Tyneside and Sunderland can provide the best possible care for people who need emergency hospital-based care, as well as how to best organise planned hospital care for people who need a test, scan or operation.
For those who cannot attend a roadshow, a short online survey will also be available for people to feedback views: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FutureNHS.
An updated ‘Draft Case for Change’ document for Phase Two of Path to Excellence was published in February 2019 as Trust chiefs set out the process of developing ideas and shared their ‘working ideas’ so far from frontline clinical teams. A formal public consultation into Phase Two is now expected to take place during 2020, at a time yet to be confirmed.
Involvement work has seen over 15,900 people respond so far with their views, all of which will be used as clinicians look to form further ideas in the process.
Dr Shaz Wahid, Medical Director at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We hope that the public will take the opportunity to join us on our path to clinical excellence by visiting these roadshow events and speaking to staff to give their views on hospital services in South Tyneside and Sunderland.
“Our aim is to create outstanding hospital services which provide the best working environment for our staff and offer the best possible care to our patients. To do this, we must look at transforming the way our services are arranged, whilst also meeting the challenges which the NHS currently faces.
“I would like to emphasise, once again, that both South Tyneside District Hospital and Sunderland Royal Hospital will continue to be here, but we must change the way we deliver services in order to protect them for many future generations to come.
“Engagement with staff, patients, service users and local people will remain at the heart of how we continue to improve local services. I would encourage people to drop in to one of our events and provide us with your comments and opinions, all of which will be considered as we progress on our journey.”
A full list of events which are part of the ‘Join Our Journey’ roadshows is detailed below. NHS staff will be on hand to provide information to people who would like to find out more about Phase Two of Path to Excellence and how they can get involved.
As part of the ‘Join our Journey’ roadshows, people are being urged to play their part in helping the NHS by:
- Taking more responsibility for their own health
- Having their flu jab if they need one
- Quitting smoking
- Becoming more active
- Keeping NHS appointments or cancelling them
- Choosing the right NHS service and keeping emergency services free.
For further information about the ‘Join our Journey’ roadshows and the Path to Excellence programme, go to https://pathtoexcellence.org.uk/ or follow nhsexcellence on Facebook and @NHSexcellence on Twitter.
