1st February 2012
1. Kingston Hospital's consultation document gives the following rationale for the changes:
- the current nursing establishment is not adequate to provide the quality of care needed for an increasing ageing population and complex medical admissions
Bed Closures at Kingston Hospital and Cuts in Primary Care Budget Could Harm Patient Care
Revelations of the planned closure of 1 in 10 of all medical beds at Kingston Hospital, the loss of 32 ward based health care assistant posts and cuts of £1.6m in primary care and prescribing costs by Kingston Primary Care Trust (PCT) all pose a risk to patient wellbeing, according to activists in the Christian Peoples Alliance party. The CPA in the borough says that the drive to treat patients in their homes before their needs become acute is the right policy. But the party warns that pursuing a preventative approach requires investment, not cuts in primary care.
Last week, staff at Kingston hospital were informed that to make £2.6m in savings, more than one third of the Health Care Assistant(HCA) posts will be lost and Derwent ward in Esher Wing closed, which looks after rheumatology, haematology and general medicine. The proposals are set out in a document from Kingston Hospital called a "Consultation paper for the reconfiguration of the medical wards including staffing and location". It states:
- number of health care assistants to be cut from 85.73 to 53.89 (cut of 31.84 posts)
- beds reduced from 204 to 184 (loss of 20) - achieved by closing Derwent ward (24 beds) and relocating beds to other wards
- band 6 nurses increased by 2.39 posts (from 16.66 to 18.06) and band 5 nurses increased by 19.59 posts (fromm 99.35 to 118.94)
- beds reduced from 204 to 184 (loss of 20) - achieved by closing Derwent ward (24 beds) and relocating beds to other wards
- band 6 nurses increased by 2.39 posts (from 16.66 to 18.06) and band 5 nurses increased by 19.59 posts (fromm 99.35 to 118.94)
The rationale given for the changes is that care assistants will be replaced by better supervised and better qualified nurses. A spokesman for Kingston Hospital NHS Trust also says that, in the past 12 months, the average hospital stay has been reduced from seven days to five to six days. The ratio of staff to beds remains unchanged by the proposals.
Commenting on the paper, CPA Parliamentary spokesman for Richmond Park, Sue May from Chessington, said:
"There is an assumption that better qualified nurses will do a better job than experienced health care assistants. But Kingston residents deserve proper evidence for that claim and assurances that nurses will actually carry out the vital work that HCAs do. Turning patients, ensuring meals mare eaten and bedpans emptied are vital roles performed by care assistants that help build the trust of patients. Groundbreaking research reported in the Nursing Times found that HCAs had closer relationships with patients than nurses do and improved hospital performance. This can't be ignored."
The cut in beds at Kingston Hospital comes at the same time as Kingston Primary Care Trust (PCT) says it's commissioning focus for the coming year will on preventative care and the reduction of hospital admissions. But the PCT budget includes target savings in Primary Care of £1,040,000 and Prescribing of £520,000. It also plans to use the savings from taking activity out of secondary care in order to deliver it at a lower cost in the community.
ENDS
NOTE TO EDITORS:
1. Kingston Hospital's consultation document gives the following rationale for the changes:
- the current nursing establishment is not adequate to provide the quality of care needed for an increasing ageing population and complex medical admissions
- need to increase numbers of trained staff on duty and supervisory ward managers
- ensure staff are appropriately supervised and that a senior decision maker is available at busiest times
- improve level of nursing skill on wards to improve patient care
- ensure staff are appropriately supervised and that a senior decision maker is available at busiest times
- improve level of nursing skill on wards to improve patient care
- deliver £2.6m savings in 2012/13
2. Oxford University research on the role of HCAs can be read here:
(http://www.nursingtimes.net/specialist-news/acute-care-news/hcas-drive-up-performance-scores/5016131.article)
(http://www.nursingtimes.net/specialist-news/acute-care-news/hcas-drive-up-performance-scores/5016131.article)
3. Full details of PCT planned cuts from 2012/2013 Budget. These outline:
Primary Care Proportion of Savings - £1,040,000
Prescribing Proportion of Savings - £520,000
Primary Care Proportion of Savings - £1,040,000
Prescribing Proportion of Savings - £520,000
