Chesterfield Health News

Chesterfield patients to benefit from new ultrasound department open in North Derbyshire

North Derbyshire’s Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) has welcomed its first ultrasound patient, after opening the new service earlier this month.

The centres allow patients to receive care closer to home, in a one-stop style approach, which includes having direct same-day access to tests such as ultrasound, x-ray and phlebotomy (blood tests).

The ultrasound department at Whitworth Hospital is located in Darley Dale, Matlock and is staffed by Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust colleagues.

Jason Rotherham, 50, from Eckington was the first patient to use the service, after starting his patient journey when he visited his GP with shoulder pain.

He was given exercises and pain relief, however after a few weeks he found the pain was not improving. Following a physiotherapy appointment in Eckington, and an x-ray at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Jason was offered an ultrasound at the North Derbyshire Community Diagnostic Centre in Matlock. The aim was to investigate the pain and provide an accurate diagnosis.

Jason said: “Although Chesterfield Royal Hospital is technically nearer to me, I chose to attend Whitworth Hospital because they offered me an appointment much quicker – in fact, it was the next day!

“It is fantastic to be able to now get a quicker diagnosis for my shoulder, meaning I can now get on with my day. The quick turnaround also means that my physiotherapist can take a look at my ultrasound instantly and get me booked in for another appointment quickly.

“The staff I spoke to, including Nic the sonographer, were very helpful and caring. Although further from home, I really didn’t mind the extra few minutes drive as it meant I got an appointment much quicker.  I was also in and out in about 15 minutes, so I certainly saved more time there too. It is a fantastic new service, with new lovely rooms and equipment so I felt very comfortable. An added bonus is having free parking.”

Nic Sowden, Ultrasonographer, performed the first ultrasound at the new Community Diagnostic Centre on Friday, 17 March.

Nic said: “The new ultrasound CDC service at Whitworth Hospital means more patients can be seen faster, supporting a quicker diagnosis and treatment. We’re looking forward to further expanding the service including longer opening hours and establishing a link with other clinics to create more streamlined pathways – like podiatry.

“We’ve seen an increase of around 20% for the number of ultrasounds taking place across our region, so this extra service will support the demand across our North Derbyshire community. It was fantastic being able to open this new service, and to also welcome our first patients having ultrasounds here, including Jason. I really look forward to seeing what is next for the Community Diagnostic Centre and look forward to expanding our services further.”

Melissa Dalton, Clinical Lead for Urgent Care and Specialist Services at Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Whitworth Hospital, said: “This is very good news for patients who can now come here for ultrasound and other diagnostic tests, including seven day a week x-ray facilities.

“The development of Community Diagnostic Centres, like the one being developed here, means that patients get easier and often quicker access to diagnostic services to help clinicians plan the best course of treatment for them. We are delighted to be able to offer these facilities to patients across North Derbyshire.”

Patients still have the option to attend appointments at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, however you may receive an appointment quicker if you are able to attend North Derbyshire’s Community Diagnostic Centre, located at Whitworth Hospital.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Ultrasound - CDC

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Work begins on multi-million pound urgent care centre at Chesterfield Royal Hospital

Work has started on an exciting £24million development that will revolutionise the way Chesterfield Royal Hospital delivers Urgent and Emergency care.

After years of planning and months of preparation to make the site ready for work to begin, the hospital is now moving into the next stage of the project which will see the building come to life.

Construction begins today (7th September 2021) and will take approximately 18 months to complete, opening in summer 2023. This New Urgent and Emergency Care Development will provide the hospital with a state of the art environment that enables staff to truly transform urgent and emergency care services.

The stylish, new Urgent and Emergency Care Department building has integration at the heart, bringing together a host of services into defined clinical areas to ensure that patients can get the support they require based on their clinical need, be it a minor illness or injury, or emergency care for a serious accident or critical care for a life-threatening condition.

This vision will become a reality when the building, developed thanks to involvement from staff, partners and representatives across the Joined Up Care Derbyshire integrated health system, is complete. The Development will include an Urgent Treatment Centre for minor injuries or illness, as well as defined areas for paediatric care, major injuries and medical emergencies.

There is also dedicated space for patients requiring emergency mental health support.  The hospital is already working closely with clinicians within the Trust and the wider healthcare system to develop its pathways to deliver a truly integrated model of care encompassing therapy, diagnostic imaging, primary community and social care services.

Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer at the hospital, Berenice Groves is leading the project and explains more: “After a significant focus on  planning and design in consultation with clinical colleagues and partners, we are delighted to get this development underway. It’s exciting to see our project come to life and is a real boost for everyone to see the work begin. This is the biggest development in our Urgent and Emergency Care Services since the hospital opened its doors in 1984.

“As we are building a new department, our current emergency services will not be affected or disrupted during the construction. We look forward to seeing the building develop over the next few years, ready to open to patients in summer 2023. The new department and the ongoing pathway developments will benefit our patients for years to come”

Demand for Emergency Care is increasing year on year and the trust has exhausted all available opportunities to expand and adapt services within the existing footprint. The current Emergency Department (ED) was built in 1984 and has delivered outstanding care to our patients, however as demand increases the department’s ability to work flexibly and adapt to new ways of working is limited. With this in mind, and taking into account emerging models of care, learning from the pandemic experience and building on closer partnership links, the Trust made the decision to revise the plans to refurbish the current Emergency Department and embark upon a new build approach. The building will be situated next to the current ED building with the aim of ensuring patients can be streamlined to the most appropriate clinical service based on their clinical need.

Katherine Lendrum is the Trust’s Consultant in Emergency Care and Clinical Lead for the Emergency Department, she said: “This will make a huge difference and the team is incredibly excited to see work start on the building. This last 18 months have given us an opportunity to apply what we’ve learned throughout the pandemic, cement the partnerships we’ve developed and to strengthen new ways of working that ensure our patients’ experience is a good one.

“Whatever level of care you need, you will immediately be in the right place when you arrive at the door.  Then it’s our job to assess you and make sure you see the right expert in the right part of our Emergency or Urgent Care Department as quickly as possible.  This could be a GP, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Therapist or Consultant, but it will be someone with the skills and expertise that you require.

“Making the best use of our resources is a key part of patient care by ensuring our patients are given the most appropriate care in the right place without placing undue pressure on our services. We have seen demand on services build at the hospital and to continue with our ED as it currently stands wasn’t an option in the long term. We are close to having outgrown it but additional capacity has been built into the design of the unit to change the way we can deliver care and improve the experience for our patients.”

By involving staff, partners and representatives across the Joined Up Care Derbyshire integrated health system in the creation of this new facility the new Urgent and Emergency Care Department will provide collaborative services that make the most of digital innovation and technology, best practice care and treatment and give patients the best possible outcomes through exceptional care.

The project will also include building a new paediatric assessment unit (PAU) alongside the Royal’s Nightingale Children’s Unit to ensure babies, children and youngsters with acute illness or injury are assessed, investigated, observed and treated with an expectation of discharge home in 12 hours or less. Work is due to start on that part of the development in the New Year.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Construction underway at new Chesterfield Care Home, creating historic gateway into its former life

Construction is well underway at a new 72 bed care home in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, which incorporates a doorway into its past.

The care home, designed by RIBA Chartered HSSP Architects, the multi-award-winning architecture practice, integrates a listed, Victorian ‘Drill Hall’ doorway arch into the design of a modern, innovative care home providing high dependency care for its residents.

The care home sits on the site of the former ‘Drill Hall’ which was built in 1897 to provide a space for the volunteer 6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters to train. It was a valued part of the community until it was demolished in 1991 and replaced with a car park. During its deconstruction, the listed decorative main stone archway was saved, and put into storage where it has been for nearly 30 years.

As part of the planning and design process, the stone, grand ornate archway which is typical of the Victorian era has been the inspiration for the new frontage.

HSSP Director and project Architect, James Botterill, said: “On viewing the historical archway which has been laying in nearby storage for decades, we began to pick-up the styling and character of the building that had once stood. It’s an impressive piece of architecture and we were determined its strong decorative character should be incorporated into the design of the new building –  transitioning its past into the modern world. It was a fantastic design challenge but one that could have easily fallen into the realms of pastiche. By focusing on textures, materials and shape, we were able to add to its evolution and add personality and style onto the new design.”

The site, which is situated on the main road into the town, also had other design challenges to overcome that have influenced the design. The steep sloping topography has allowed for a 4 storey building to appear only 2 storeys at the road frontage, ensuring the development is not overbearing upon the street scene. Employing biophilic principles, the building opens up the hillside providing residents with clear access and views of the nearby allotments. The main living area enjoys a free flow of space leading directly to the terrace areas.

All 72 rooms have been designed with modern ensuites, communal living areas combine home comforts with the requirements of high-dependency nursing, and staff areas are spacious and airy.

James concluded: “We have worked in partnership with the developer and planners to bring our vision to life. The planners were delighted with our perceptive designs that revert the site back to its former street scene appearance and we look forward to seeing a piece of history reincarnated in the next guise of its life.”

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Derbyshire vaccine programme reaches 100-day milestone

One hundred days ago Derbyshire began the biggest vaccination programme in the history of the NHS, and today (Wednesday 17th March) it is celebrating that important milestone.

The first Covid-19 vaccine doses were administered at Royal Derby Hospital and Chesterfield Royal Hospital on December 8, just six days after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had been formally approved by the MHRA.

One hundred days and 430,000 doses later, Derbyshire has 25 vaccination sites, ranging from GP practices and community halls to a converted theatre and the enormous mass vaccination centre at Derby Arena.

The first person to receive their vaccination in a primary care setting in Derbyshire was 101-year-old Robert Stopford-Taylor at Stubley Medical Practice on December 17.

Vaccination sites were undeterred by Storm Christoph on January 22, or heavy snow in southern Derbyshire in the following days, with vaccinations continuing thanks to the efforts of

staff and volunteers. The public did their bit as well, braving difficult weather to get their vaccinations.

Another highlights of the past 100 days was the visit to Derby Arena by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on February 8.

Joined Up Care Derbyshire Executive Medical Director Steve Lloyd said it was a moment to reflect on an incredible effort by many people across the county: “The last 100 days have seen us roll out an incredibly effective vaccination programme to hundreds of thousands of people, and I want to thank the thousands of staff and volunteers who have contributed to this.

“From those on the front line delivering the vaccine to those organising and co-ordinating, it has been an amazing effort. Volunteers have streamed in to help, many of them former staff coming out of retirement, and they have been essential.

“It’s also important that we pay tribute to all those in our hospitals, GP practices and in community settings who are still delivering essential care.

“I’m very proud of all their efforts on behalf of patients, and it’s encouraging that we are 100 days closer to getting back to some sort of normal life.

100 days stats and dates

· Total doses: 430,000

· Vaccination sites: 25

· First vaccinations: December 8, 2020 @ Royal Derby Hospital and Chesterfield Royal Hospital

· First primary care site opened: Stubley Medical Centre, December 18

· Mass vaccination site opened: Derby Arena, January 25

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New multi-million pound build set to transform emergency care in North Derbyshire

A multi-million pound development at Chesterfield Royal Hospital is set to transform the face of emergency and urgent care for more than 420,000 people who live in the town and across North Derbyshire.

At an expected cost of around £26 million, the ambitious scheme will create a new Urgent and Emergency Department Care Department – at the front of the hospital site where an existing staff car park is sited. With enabling works due to start immediately, the build itself will get off the ground in early summer – and doors are expected to open to patients at the beginning of 2023.

The desire to reinvent emergency services at the Royal has long been under debate. In 2019, after years of discussion with NHS bodies, staff, patients and public engagement, agreement was initially reached on a way-forward that effectively re-designed the existing Emergency Department (and its adjacent areas) to the tune of around £19 million. This four to five-year project would have been carried out in a number of complicated stages, to fit around the continuation of patient care and service provision.

Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer at the hospital, Berenice Groves is leading the revised project and explains the change of plan:

“The COVID-19 pandemic stopped our original proposal in its tracks, but it’s given us an opportunity to step-back and re-examine this important development, to make sure we really have ‘got it right’,” she comments.

“In the space of a year, like other hospitals across the country, we have had to work smarter. The pandemic has hastened improvements to our care processes and pathways and it’s become clear, over the last few months, that a new Urgent and Emergency Department Care Department build, outside the confines of the existing available space, offers a better solution in a shorter time-frame. Whilst on paper it might add up to a bigger financial commitment, the additional investment enables an even better environment for our patients to receive the care they need and more improvements to the workplace for our staff. Crucially, it future-proofs emergency and urgent care for everyone and provides much-needed sustainability.”

The latest architect’s plans are still being finalised, but the layout of this new and preferred option will still bring emergency, urgent and primary care services together in one space, although within defined areas. The aim is to get people where they need to be as quickly as possible, so they can be seen by the right clinical expert – whether they need treatment for a minor injury, emergency care for a serious accident, critical care for a life-threatening condition, or medical support for a long-term illness that’s causing concern. For staff, facilities will include changing areas, a staff rest room, office accommodation and an area for training. Throughout the pandemic we’ve learned just how critical these amenities are for staff to take a well-earned break and to continue their education.

The development also encompasses designated zones to care for children and those with a mental health need, as well as allowing for more in-depth assessment of patients who may require additional, but immediate support from other professionals, including therapists, voluntary and social services. There’ll also be improved access to nearby x-ray and imaging services to reduce the length of time patients spend in the department.

The transformation doesn’t stop there. As part of the project a paediatric assessment unit (PAU) will also be constructed, alongside the Royal’s Nightingale Children’s Unit. This additional aspect of the scheme will ensure babies, children and young people with acute illness or injury are assessed, investigated, observed and treated with an expectation of discharge home in 12 hours or less.

Over the next few weeks and months, a number of smaller projects will be carried out that will help the larger scheme to ‘get going’. These include works within the grounds and gardens to prepare the site, as well as other refurbishments within the existing hospital building. At the end of last year, to get ready for an earlier opening date for the Urgent and Emergency Care Department, the Trust opted to finance a pharmacy within its main entrance – which is already giving people easier access to over-the-counter and prescription medications, as well as advice from pharmacy specialists.

Dr Katherine Lendrum, Consultant in Emergency Care – and the Emergency Department’s Clinical Lead – is delighted to see progress taking place. She and the ED team have had input into the new plans and will be involved at every stage of the building programme. Commenting on the decision to adopt a new-build approach she says: “This will make such a difference and the team is incredibly excited to see the revised plans unfold. It’s absolutely the right decision for our patients and our staff. We have an opportunity to apply what we’ve learned throughout the pandemic, to cement the partnerships we’ve developed and to strengthen new ways of working that ensure our patients’ experience is a good one.

“Whatever level of care you need you will immediately be in the right place when you arrive at the door. Then it’s our job to assess you and make sure you see the right expert in the right part of our Emergency or Urgent Care Department as quickly as possible. This could be a GP, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Therapist or Consultant, but it will be someone with the skills and expertise that you require.”

Over the coming months staff, patients, the public – and other interested parties – will be able to share in the new development as it gets underway, through a series of on-line information events that build on previous engagement and involvement. These will include opportunities to view the plans and a ‘fly-through’ of the new building – to get an idea of what you’d experience as a patient. Financed by the NHS England and Improvement (through the Department of Health) and the Trust, this exciting scheme is one of the biggest recently seen on the Chesterfield Royal Hospital site and will revolutionise this aspect of hospital services that were first opened in 1984.

Baby Box

 

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