One Month Of Consultation Remaining On Bed Based Intermediate Care

ONE month remains in the public consultation around bed-based intermediate care within Dumfries and Galloway.

Everyone is being encouraged to provide their views on the proposal for a flexible model of bed-based care which sits between the two acute hospitals and people’s own homes, and a proposal to engage with communities on ideas around how this model could be delivered over coming years.

Director of Strategic Commissioning and Transformation David Rowland said: “We’ve held 11 in-person public drop-in sessions across the region since April 21, and we have four still to take place.

“However, it’s important that everyone knows that they can also submit their views either by going online to the website www.dghscp.co.uk/rcrp-consultation or by calling us on 01387 272734 to request the documents.

“The consultation is the next step in our work and distinct from the engagement which took place towards the beginning of the year, as we are now formally asking people to review the proposals which have emerged from that earlier work.

“We’d encourage everyone to give their views on the flexible model and some of the ideas that have been identified so far, and to highlight this consultation to others so that everyone is supported to have that opportunity.”

Bed-based intermediate care is defined as the care people receive between a large hospital and what they are able to manage at home. It takes in everything from

care homes and extra support housing to cottage hospitals. People in intermediate care usually have a need for palliative care, end of life care, respite care, and/or step up step down care.

The four main areas around which consultation is taking place are as follows:

• The findings of the Right Care, Right Place: Intermediate Care engagement programme earlier this year

• Our description of how intermediate care is delivered, and our forecast of what will be required in future

• The proposal to introduce a flexible approach to intermediate care, to allow bed capacity to be allocated to different roles depending on demand

• Ideas on how intermediate care should be delivered in each local area, over three timescales – 1-2 years, 5 years and 10-15 years

Mr Rowland said: “With one month remaining, it’s important that everyone understands that this is a formal public consultation process, aimed at helping us establish a way forward for developing approaches to bed-based intermediate care.

“We’d strongly encourage everyone to have their say on a topic which takes in everything from care homes to cottage hospitals, respite care to palliative care.

“Please do attend a drop-in session or visit the website www.dghscp.co.uk/rcrp-consultation”