The Emergency Department and Urgent Treatment Centre at Scarborough Hospital has, over the last six months, been under increasing pressure. There have been a number of occasions where ambulances have had to divert to other sites as the department has not had the capacity to receive new cases.

In order to get a greater understanding from patients themselves as to why they are presenting in the department, we undertook an engagement exercise and spoke face to face with patients.

What patients wanted:

“We were on holiday, did not know the area or where the walk in centre is”

“I’m on holiday, went to see a Dr, they sent me here”

What we did:

“Self-care for holiday makers in Scarborough and Ryedale” self care and stay well leaflet produced to make people who are visiting the area aware of the options available to them in regards to healthcare. These options included self-care, local pharmacies, Urgent Treatment Centres, NHS 111, NHS online, the local emergency department and 999. Another goal was to inform people of the best medicines to keep a stock of while they are on holiday such as sunscreen, antihistamines, indigestion tablets, rehydration salts, anti-diarrhoea tablets as well as advice on how to best treat cuts, bruises bites and stings.

The campaign was mainly targeted at holiday makers due to the fact admissions to the emergency department tend to increase over the summer period especially amongst tourists.

Full report and distribution click here.

The contracts for community health services in Scarborough and Ryedale expired in October 2017 and as part of the procurement process engagement with patients and carers has been carried out by the CCG.

What patients wanted: 

• Paitients only wanted to have to tell their story once
• Patients need help to be as independant as possible after a hospital stay
• Patients wanted continuity of care (e.g. a named nurse assinged to a patient)
• Services should be more responsive to patients in distress

What we did:

• Appointed a trusted assesor to undertake a holistic assessment
• Response to deterioration within 1 hour meaning a reduced need for 999
• Introduced a care coordinatior role to enhance continuity
• Introduced a new improved model of adult community
• services : patients can access round the clock care through a single telephone number

More information can be found here.

The three Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) covering Scarborough, Ryedale, York and East Riding of Yorkshire worked together with York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and reviewed the urology diagnostic service. Typically patients accessing the service required up to three appointments before diagnosis.

What patients wanted: 

• A reduction in the amount of visits to hospital
• A reduction in waiting times for a treatment plan
• A more convinient and efficient service

What we did:

• Introduced a new diagnostic service at Malton Hospital
• Made the service a 'one stop shop' meaning most patients will only require one appointment
• Improved the overall patient experience
• Face to face engagement with patients using the service to gain constructive feedback

More information can be found here.

NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG wanted to make it easier for patients to  access general practice services outside of traditional surgery hours, with more appointments potentially available for people to see a doctor or other healthcare professional at evenings and weekends.

What patients wanted:

• More accessible appointments for people working during GP hours
• Better access to GP services for their children outside school hours
• Less waiting times for appointments

What we did:

• Face to face engagement with patients to better understand the needs of local residents
• Providing over 60 extra hours of GP services acorss Scarborough and Ryedale
• Providing an easier system for patients to access pre bookable, same day appointments with a GP or other healthcare professional in the evening and at the weekend
• A process for GP surgeries acorss the patch to share medical information on their patients meaning patients can access services in alternative settings.
• The service will be fully up and running in spring 2019

You can find out more information here.

York Teaching NHS Foundation Trust were unable to recruit the appropriate staff to continue to provide a breast care service in Scarborough and waiting times for patients were not being met.

What patients wanted:

• A reduction in waiting times for breast appointments
• Less visits to hospital before a treatment plan is in place
• A quicker process for receiving results after an appoinment

What we did:

• Moved the breast service to York Hospital to ensure patients were seen within 2 weeks
• Offering a 'one stop clinic' that includes consultation, tests and diagnosis during a one day patient visit
• Face to face engagement with patients to allow them to share their expericne of the service.

More information can be found here.

Patients and carers and families in Scarborough made us aware of a shortage of quality respite care in 2014 and we knew something had to be done to meet the needs of local patients.

What patients wanted:

• More respite care for patients with complex learning disabilities in Scarborough
• A safe and comfortable environment for people with learning disabilities
• Round the clock one to one support for patients with multiple learning difficulties
• Further support for the families and carers of the patients with learning disabilites

What we did:

• Opened a new respite care facility for people with profound and complex learning disabilities in Scarborough called Kelly's Place
• Provided round the clock support for patients  24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Provided one-to-one or two-to-one support for patients
• Worked with Happy Futures to ensure patients can also use their facility to expand existing skills, develop new ones and take part in a variety of activities

More information can be found here.