Consultation on transforming acute hospital and maternity services in LLR
The public consultation, Building Better Hospitals for the Future, runs from 28 September to 21 December 2020. It concerns the services delivered at the three main hospitals in Leicester, run by University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) NHS Trust, as well as services delivered at the midwifery-led unit at St Mary’s Hospital, Melton Mowbray.
The proposals would provide 139 more hospital beds and change acute and maternity services by moving all acute care to the Leicester Royal Infirmary (in the city centre) and to Glenfield Hospital (on the outskirts of Leicester on Groby Road). Acute care includes patients receiving treatment for severe injury or illness, urgent medical conditions, or during recovery from surgery.
Among the new developments is the creation of a major planned care treatment centre at the Glenfield Hospital. This would separate planned operations and emergency procedures and help stop urgent pressures leading to the cancellation of routine surgery.
The treatment centre, along with the delivery of more outpatient appointments virtually or closer to where patients live in the community, would aim to reduce the number of patients attending the Leicester Royal Infirmary site by more than half a million per year.
The proposals would see the creation of a dedicated single-site children’s hospital, based in the Kensington Building. It would also see a new maternity hospital developed on the site.
At the Leicester Royal Infirmary and Glenfield Hospital, two ‘super’ intensive care units would be developed with 100 beds in total, which is almost double the current number.
The Leicester General Hospital in Evington (east of Leicester city centre on Gwendolen Road) would cease to be a site offering acute hospital care. Non-acute services would be created on the site, with proposals for a new ‘community health campus’ along with inpatient beds for patients recovering from a stroke, new GP direct access imaging facilities such as x-rays and scans, and the retention of the existing diabetes centre of excellence. The proposals may also see a new primary care urgent treatment centre, observation facilities, community outpatient facilities for a range of mental and physical conditions, and additional primary care services.
It is proposed that the midwifery-led unit at St Mary’s Hospital, Melton Mowbray may be relocated to the Leicester General Hospital campus, to make the service accessible to as many women living across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland as possible, whilst enabling them to be closer to specialist medical support should they need it. The existing unit is under-used, with less than three births per week.
The consultation will also consider greater use of hydrotherapy pools in the community, replacing use of the hydrotherapy pool at Leicester General Hospital.
It’s important that everyone in Rutland understands the proposed changes and has their views heard.
To share your views, visit www.betterhospitalsleicester.nhs.uk to view the full consultation document and have your say via the consultation questionnaire.
Complete the consultation questionnaire
Alternative versions of the consultation document can be made available in other languages, and are in easy read, video and large print. Further information about the proposals and how to comment can also be obtained by telephoning 0116 295 0750 or emailing beinvolved@LeicesterCityCCG.nhs.uk
At Healhwatch Rutland we are developing a schedule of virtual café sessions with community and support groups in Rutland, to ensure that as many people as possible hear about the proposals and understand how they can complete a questionnaire to make their views known.
In addition, a virtual public meeting will take place on 28 October at 7pm. After a short overview of the proposals, the floor will be open for public discussion and we want to hear your thoughts on the proposals and how you think they will affect the care you receive as a Rutland resident. Please register with your contact details to receive information and a link to access the meeting.
