Thursday, 19 August 2010
Plans to develop Singleton Hospital as Swansea’s specialist centre for intensive rehabilitation care are taking a big step forward.
A dedicated 28-bedded ward is being set up to care for elderly people who have broken their hip or other bones, and need specialist therapy as quickly as possible after their initial emergency treatment at Morriston Hospital.
Ward 6 at Singleton Hospital will be home to the new centralised Orthogeriatric Service, and will include the setting up of a dedicated therapy service so patients will have fast and improved access to specialists.
Until now, patients have been transferred from Morriston Hospital to Ward 5 in Hill House Hospital, or other wards in Singleton Hospital. No dedicated service with direct access to a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians or diagnostics has been in place across the board.
This new Orthogeriatric pathway is based on examples of good practice nationally, and will offer patients a much more streamlined and effective service.
John Calvert, ABM Assistant Medical Director said:“When an elderly person falls and breaks a hip it’s very important that they can access specialist therapies as quickly as possible to help them regain their mobility, confidence and independence.
“Under this new model, patients will continue to receive their acute care in Morriston, and then they will be transferred to Ward 6 at Singleton - usually on day seven - so our teams of therapists can begin working with them straight away.
“Effective rehabilitation is vital for elderly people to have the best chance of making a good recovery, and this new model of care will bring many benefits to support that goal.”
Mr Calvert said the benefits included:
- Quicker access to rehabilitation;
- Less time spent in hospital because of improved access to diagnostics; therapies and round-the-clock medical cover;
- Improved access to Social Workers who are based in Singleton Hospital;
- Improved nursing to patient ratio;
- Better opportunity for nurses to develop specialist Orthogeriatric nursing skills;
- Improved access for patients to specialist Consultant Orthogeriatrician;
- The establishment of a multi-disciplinary clinical team to deliver better outcomes for patients and improve discharge planning;
- More bed room for patients;
- Improved junior medical staff cover;
- It addresses the problems, which patients who are now at Hill House have, to access therapies;
- Patients will be on a dedicated ward, rather than spread across a number of different wards, improving care and making better use of doctors’ time.
The new Orthogeriatric Services Ward will also help the specialist Orthogeriatrician provide improved levels of medical cover in Neath Port Talbot Hospital.
The move is another important development in the way services for elderly and vulnerable people are improving in Swansea and across ABM. It complements new services like Community Integrated Intermediate Services where therapists and other clinicians deliver care directly to patients in their own homes.
Work is currently going on to ensure Ward 6 at Singleton Hospital is ready for the move, which is scheduled to begin, in phases, from mid-September.
Initially 14 patients will be transferred from Hill House Hospital to the new dedicated ward at Singleton, and the remaining 10 transferred shortly afterwards.
The 10 medical beds currently on Ward 6 at Singleton Hospital will be moved to Ward 5 at Singleton Hospital.
At this stage no plans have been made for the vacated ward at Hill House Hospital.
The new development is underpinned by ABM’s Five Year Strategic Plan, Changing for the Better, which highlights a key future role for Singleton Hospital as Swansea’s specialist centre for rehabilitation.
Discussions have also taken place with the region’s Community Health Council about the plans and the benefits to patients.
Ends
For further information, please contact: Susan Bailey,
Head of Communications
Tel: 01639 683330
Email: susan.bailey@wales.nhs.uk