Agenda item

The Committee agreed Dr Robinson’s suggestion that (on behalf of the Committee) he together with colleagues from Medway Council should be briefed on Stage 2 of the Commissioning process, to determine the site from which the core case-mix for specialist urology will be developed in West Kent.

Urology Services

1.            At the meeting of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 13 June 2008 the Committee agreed that Dr Robinson should, together with representatives of Medway Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, meet with Health colleagues regarding the proposed reconfiguration of Urology Services across Kent and Medway and in particular the potential proposed site for Urology Services in West Kent.  This meeting took place at the offices of Medway Council on the evening of Thursday 26 June 2008.  The meeting was attended by Dr Fiona Craig, Interim Director of Commissioning, Medway Cancer Network, Lynne Whiteford, Executive Support, Medway Primary Care Trust, Councillors Brake, Murray and Sheila Kearney, Medway Council Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Rosie Gunstone, Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator, Medway Council, Dr Robinson, Kent County Council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Paul Wickenden, Overview, Scrutiny and Localism Manager, Kent County Council.

2.            The meeting were informed that the Urology Commissioning Review was part of the Kent and Medway Fit for the Future Specialised Services Review.  The Urology Review had now reached Stage Two in its process.  Stage One concluded at the end of December 2007, which primarily focussed on the number of Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDTs) in Kent and Medway.  The Evaluation Panel agreed there should be two MDTs, one in East Kent (at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Canterbury and not subject to this discussion) and one in West Kent.  The external surgical members of the Panel went further to state that in West Kent there should be one surgical site for highly specialised urology.  It is this element that had lead to the creation of Stage Two in the process.

3.            Stage Two commenced in February 2008 to determine the site from which the core case mix for specialised urology would be delivered to West Kent.  Two providers, representing three organisations, completed the site feasibility questionnaire; Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust and Medway NHS Foundation Trust (jointly as MDU) and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW).

4.            The responses have now been reviewed and clarification questions raised.  Interviews have taken place with the two respective providers so that the Evaluation Panel could receive clarification on any outstanding queries.

5.            It was explained that the guidance of Kent and Medway Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees was being sort as to whether they supported the current process and procedures so far undertaken as part of the review.

6.            All through the process the views of expert patients had been sought.  Members from both Kent and Medway HOSCs concluded that they were content that no further more formal consultation needed to be undertaken.

7.            It was agreed that the Primary Care Trusts would now take the recommendations of the Evaluation Panel to the respective Primary Care Trust Boards for approval (since the meeting the recommendation has been made that specialist urology services in West Kent should be sited at the Medway Maritime Hospital).

8.            Members are asked to note that the patients who are affected by these proposals are in the region of 150 per year.  Although the specialist urological procedures across West Kent will take place at the Medway Maritime Hospital patients’ pre and post operative care will take place in their nearest district general hospital i.e. patients would be repatriated as soon as possible after their procedure.