Agenda item

This report and its annexes provide the Health & Adult Social Care Policy & Scrutiny Committee with information around the closure of Bootham Park Hospital and the plans that have been made to return services to York as soon as possible.

Members received a report which updated them on information surrounding the closure of Bootham Park Hospital and plans that had been made to return services to York as soon as possible.

The Chair stated that he was delighted with the news that the Section 136 suite had been reopened at Bootham Park. It was hoped that outpatients could return to Bootham.

Dr Steve Wright, Deputy Medical Director, Elizabeth Moody, Deputy of Nursing and Governance and Ruth Hill, Director of Operations from Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust gave an update on the current situation and were in attendance to answer Members’ questions.

In addition to the Chair’s introduction, Dr Steve Wright started by saying it was hoped that outpatients could return to Bootham, and a lot of thought had gone into how the room space could be used effectively and safely.

It was also noted that

·        Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) were looking at longer term solutions for ECT provision, which was currently being provided at York Hospital.

·        It was hoped there would be a safe facility for adults at Peppermill Court in Summer 2016.

·        There would be full consultation on long term plans.

·        Worsley Court would be used as a male dementia unit.

·        A cashier’s service had been set up in York to refund the travel expenses of those carers who had to travel out of the city to visit loved ones.

Dr Mark Hayes, Chief Clinical Officer from Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), in response to a Member’s question as to whether the CCG felt that Bootham Park was the correct place for the new mental health hospital in York, he said that it was on a long list of sites being considered. He felt that the Bootham Park site was not big enough for a modern mental health facility, and pointed out that it was the only 250 year old mental health hospital still in use in Europe. He added that all those involved in healthcare were committed to a new hospital. In response to another Member’s question about sale money from Bootham Park Hospital, he stated that although NHS Property Services had a duty to make sure that this went to Central Government, the CCG were taking steps to ensure that the money remained earmarked for a new mental health hospital.

Councillor Cannon requested that the Committee receive the CQC report on the Bootham Park Hospital closure in the future. She also referred to the fact that she had submitted and gained approval of a motion to Full Council, which endorsed a call for an independent enquiry into the reasons for the closure of the hospital. The Chair pointed out that the motion was also supported by the two local MPs.

In regards to consultation with patients and carers, the Manager of Healthwatch York said that they were keen to hear from carers and could co-ordinate and collate views and share what they had with the provider Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust to provide solutions to any problems that had been encountered. Healthwatch’s email address was  healthwatch@yorkcvs.org.uk or they could be contacted by telephone on 01904 621133.

Members felt a further update report was needed to inform them of the work being undertaken in regards to achieving an interim solution moving forward and that this was best done via email.

Resolved: (i) That the report, its annexes, information provided by Officers and plans that have been made to return services to York as soon as possible be noted.

                (ii) That the information provided within the report and its annexes should be referred to the agreed scrutiny review for consideration as part of its investigations into the closure of the Bootham Park Hospital.

               (iii) That a further update report on the work being undertaken to achieve an interim solution for Bootham Park Hospital, moving forward is circulated via email.

Reason: So the people of York and the Vale of York are not  deprived of acute mental health inpatient services.