Agenda item

For the Committee to receive an update on the Outpatient Assessment Centre at Dorset Health Village.

The Deputy Director Design and Transformation presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The purpose of the Report was to update the Committee on the Outpatient Assessment Centre @ Dorset Health Village. The Outpatient Assessment Centres (OAC) @ Dorset Health Village Poole became operational on the 16 November 2021.

The Outpatient Assessment Centre was a new health space located in the heart of the community on the 2nd floor of an active retail store (Beales), financed by NHS Funding and was delivered in response to the waiting list pressures in Dorset. Supported by the VSCE sector, BCP Planners, and commercial partners, its delivery model improved productivity, using the same healthcare workforce, with only the addition of a small operational team, supplemented by volunteers acting as Patient Navigators.

The Centre was constructed using repurposed material form the Nightingales, it used extant public transport networks and was integrated into the wider green agenda for Poole. Co-deigned with clinicians, Live Well and Active Dorset, and working with Social Prescribing partners and the academic community, it focused on the holistic approach to people centric care. In addition, it supported the healthy high street agenda, using the NHS as anchor institution to create the high street as a destination and increase footfall. The first of its type, it was setting the benchmark for other systems in the UK to build the hospital from the outside and was truly collaborative in its approach.

The Committee discussed the report and comments included:

• Several Committee Members praised the project and wanted to thank all the staff involved in making it an outstanding success
• In response to a query regarding how long funding was available for the project, the Committee was advised that it was a three-year project, with the option to increase to four.  The Committee was advised that it formed part of the project to take some health services to the high street and away from hospital sites.  It was highlighted that wellbeing hubs nearer the community was the future way of working of the Integrated Care Partnership
• The Committee was advised that partners including Community Action Network (CAN) were working together to create a living space within the Dolphin Centre to signpost health care, social care, and voluntary services to all come together in one accessible place
• The Portfolio Holder for People and Homes echoed the praise given and advised of a personal good experience of the outpatient centre.  She did highlight one issue in accessing the centre which she found off-putting, and the Deputy Director Design and Transformation advised he would take the feedback back to the team
• In response to a query regarding the Boscombe Hub, the Committee was advised that site options were still being considered
• The opening hours were clarified, and it was noted that it was currently 8am-6pm, but that it could be opened at weekends and was designed to be able to open 8am-8pm 7 days a week.  Any visits were by appointment only.
• In response to a query regarding staffing, it was advised that it used the same workforce from the hospitals and had been designed to increase productivity and the number of patients seen.  The only additional staff was an operational manager, administration, and volunteer staff.

RESOLVED that the Committee note the Report.