Consultation Feed Back for Ashburton Buckfastleigh Community Hospital Future

A personal response sent to TSDH  NHS Care Trust

Question 1 - Bearing in mind the information within the consultation document where would you like to see inpatient care* provided for people from communities in and around Ashburton, Buckfastleigh and Bovey Tracey?

None of the above are acceptable. The Board need to understand that there is a distinct difference between Ashburton/Buckfastleigh Hospital and Bovey Tracey, and that it is disingenuous to put both together.  

A&B Community Hospital was provided by public subscription 120 years ago and run through public subscription for many years. Today it has an active League of Friends, and because of its proximity within the Town is easily accessible both by residents of Ashburton and Buckfastleigh and surrounding areas that it serves.

Despite what many residents concerns regarding the flawed nature of the consultation, and the lack of information provided at two packed public meetings, residents made it clear both to TSDH care trust officers and the  CCG present that they overwhelmingly wished the hospital in beds to remain.

Before any decision can be made regarding whether better health care can be provided at Newton Abbot hospital, perhaps all the facts and figures regarding the cost to running Ashburton Buckfastleigh and Newton Abbot could be made available, and how any savings made would actually be used. To date there has been no business plan provided that maps out what improvements there would be to the ‘care in the community’ both meetings were told about, and no explanation as to why the CQC web site does not site Ashburton Buckfastleigh Hospital as being not fit for purpose.

At the Buckfastleigh meeting the director for Estates made reference to a Plan B which involved moving beds from Torbay to Newton Abbot hospital - this option needs to be brought forward to the public. Assertions were also made about the building and its facilities, which would appear to be cosmetic rather than clinical.

No BIA (Business Impact Assessment) was provided at the meetings, and such an assessment would need to consider both the dedication of the staff and the concerns we all have about the travel arrangements to and from Ashburton, Buckfastleigh and our surrounding communities - which to date have been presented as a discussion point, but no actual solutions.

Keeping beds at Ashburton Buckfastleigh Community Hospital must be the preferred option.

Question 2 - What are the most important things to you, or to your family, when it comes to inpatient care? (Please tick the three options that you feel are the most important)

The options as posed in the question make assumptions that those options are the only ones available and that Torbay Hospital is the hospital of choice.

Patients have the ability to chose the hospital of choice, and certain conditions may dictate that specialist hospitals outside the area are more appropriate.

The options do not list the quality of care offered and the CQC web site contains some interesting information on this and hospitals.  Residents of Ashburton Buckfastleigh want to be able to visit and receive visits from family and friends. They want a hospital ward to be friendly staffed by caring individuals, and with more elderly patients an assurance that their dignity is not subject to abuse or compromise in any way. They wish to see that the after care follows seamlessly from GP to hospital to care in the community to GP. It is regrettable that  this option is missing.

Question 3 - If inpatient services were transferred to Newton Abbot Community Hospital, we would be able to accommodate a range of new local services in the vacated space. Which services would you like to see provided for local communities from Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Bovey Tracey and the surrounding areas?

Again as at answer to question 1 it is disingenuous to put Ashburton Buckfastleigh and Bovey Tracey together. They are separate communities with their own identities and aspirations.

As yet the case for inpatients services going to Newton Abbot has not been proven, and it is surely the job of the Clinical Commissioning Group to decide what services they wish to commission where, and tender for suppliers.

It is also incumbent of the Care Trust to consider what services it is able to supply in the location with inpatients beds in-situ and add value to the hospital for the community rather than step down the offer.

Teignbridge welcomes funding boost to lift vulnerable people out of fuel poverty

Some of the most vulnerable and in need residents are set to benefit from valuable support to make their homes warmer and cheaper to heat after Teignbridge District Council secured a £55,000 Government grant.

The Council's bid to help lift those out of fuel poverty has been given a major boost with the funding from the Department of Energy and Climate Change's Fuel Poverty Fund (DECC).

The money - aimed at those living in more rural areas and park home residents - will play a crucial role in allowing the Council to offer new ways of helping to make sure the homes are well insulated and as energy efficient as possible so fuel costs are reduced.

The Council currently provides capital funding for loft and cavity wall insulation, heating and external wall insulation for park homes.

The £55,000 will complement what was already on offer with additional measures to help heat the homes of those people who are most in need. They include heating controls, floor insulation, replacement heating, cylinder jackets, pipe lagging, secondary glazing and draught proofing.

Practical advice will also be on offer including promoting long-term behavioural changes such as shopping around suppliers of the best tariff or joining a collective oil buying scheme.

Help will be provided to those who are in receipt of a means tested benefit or long term disability benefit, or are aged 70 or over or have a children under six years old and are in fuel poverty. People who qualify for assistance will be able to apply for a loan or grant assistance, subject to the cost of works.

The funding comes after surveys of both park homes residents and residents in rural areas found that, in Teignbridge, there are almost 9,000 people (16.3%) considered to be living in fuel poverty, rising to 26% in rural areas.

A Rural Housing Survey conducted in 2011 found that 26% of residents were in fuel poverty with 43% of those fuel-poor homes occupied by people aged 70 and over. Many households had boilers that were over 10 years old and some did not have any kind of heating controls or draft proofing.

Teignbridge has more park homes than the whole of Devon put together with 1,154 residents living in 46 sites across the district. It has a lot of experience in assisting people improve the insulation of their park home.

A 2012 Park Home Survey found that 58% of residents do not have their home fully insulated, over 65% use fuel other than gas to heat their home and 81% don't have a room thermostat. The majority of residents - 93% - are over 65 with 71% living on an income of less than £15,000 and 59% are in receipt of Council Tax Benefit.

Cllr Philip Vogel, Teignbridge District Council's Executive Spokesperson for Housing and Planning, said:

"We are absolutely thrilled our funding bid was successful. This money will go a long way in helping those people who are most in need and the positive knock-on effects are huge.

"The fuel poverty figures speak for themselves. We must take action to help those who need it most and make sure we are giving them all the assistance they need to make sure their homes are fuel-rich instead of fuel-poor.

"It's simple: warmer homes mean cheaper energy bills. The less money that is spent on fuel, the more income people have to spend on things they really need, or want. No one wants - nor should they feel they have to - scrape every penny together simply to keep themselves and their families warm.

"The Council's Plan 2011 - 2015 puts housing as one of its top priorities. Through that we are committed to making sure we give our residents the best possible help and advice on how they can reduce their energy costs. We've already carried out a lot of work to make sure people are living in homes with a reasonable standard of warmth - something many of us take for granted.

"This money supports the interventions already in place with some extra add-ons. Not only will their homes become more energy efficient but health hazards due to excess cold are identified and dealt with. There are also wider benefits with better heated properties meaning an improved housing stock."

The Council has already invested £20,000 in its Housing Options for Older People service, £40,000 of capital money to improve the insulation of park homes and £20,000 in tackling fuel poverty through home energy visits and measures to improve the energy efficiency of homes.  

The project will link in with other initiatives currently ongoing in Teignbridge including the Council's Housing Options for Older People project, Devon County Council's Staying Warm and Well scheme and the Park Homes project, overseen by the Citizen's Advice Bureau.

Residents who are in fuel poverty and on a low income will be offered a free benefits eligibility check in order to maximise income.

In a further boost, Teignbridge is one of four Councils to benefit from further funding from the Department of Energy and Climate Change to encourage more eco-friendly households.

North Devon Council successfully bid for £500,000 money on behalf of North Devon, Teignbridge, Torridge and Mendip District Councils to support the launch of the Green Deal, which is the Government's new plan to help households improve their homes and save on energy bills.

The local money will fund a project called HEAT (Home Energy Action Taskforce), with the support of energy efficiency specialist and Green Deal pioneer, Enact Energy. This will see local businesses and community groups being trained to help deliver free Green Deal assessments over the next three months, while raising awareness of the assessment offer. 

The aim of the project is to increase energy efficiency measures being installed at homes across the region, such as loft and cavity insulation, new boilers or solid wall insulation.

It will kick-start the Green Deal in Teignbridge with around 2,500 free home assessments being carried out from now until March. These assessments will identify where energy savings can be made in the home.

The local energy scheme is one of 132 projects across Great Britain to be awarded a share of £46 million today.

Energy Secretary Edward Davey said:

"We need to find new ways to help people with their energy bills, working with communities and councils across the country. The projects we are funding will help people save energy and save money: helping the most vulnerable to heat their homes, getting the Green Deal market up and running and encouraging people to switch energy suppliers to get their bills down."

To find out more call Teignbridge District Council's Home Energy Officer Zoe Farmer 01626 215764 or visit www.teignbridge.gov.uk

For more information about the HEAT Project in Devon call 0800 093 4050

http://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=16954

Open Market HomeBuy Scheme - launched 30th Jan 2013

Teignbridge District Council and Sovereign Living have launch today the 'Open Market HomeBuy scheme'. Open Market HomeBuy can provide a Teignbridge resident with the funding to purchase a new home and enable them to take out a mortgage which they can afford.

Follow this link to the Teignbridge District Council web site:

http://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/index.aspx?ArticleID=16935

Teignbridge District Council - Cold Weather Plan for Rough Sleepers

Recently I have been asked to give details of Teignbridge District Council's Cold Weather Plan for Rough Sleepers: I hope the detail below explains this and is helpful. 

The Council’s cold weather plan for rough sleepers kicks in when it is predicted that the temperature will fall below 0 degrees on 3 consecutive nights.

We contact all support agencies who work with rough sleepers to offer them accommodation over this period and encourage them to access service and support and not return to the streets after the three-day period has lapsed.

We put the plan into action on 11 January and it continues to be in operation.

Teignbridge estimate we have approx between 4 and 6 rough sleepers at any one time.  We have recognised there is a lack of support services for rough sleepers and there is no supported housing for homeless individuals with complex needs. In order to address this, we are working with partners in the voluntary sector to provide accommodation and support for those who wish to come off the streets.

This work includes outreach work where support workers go out to places including Newton Abbot, Dawlish and Teignmouth and look for people sleeping rough and giving practical support to help them come off the streets.

This is an interim arrangement while we procure a new service in partnership with South Hams and West Devon to provide an outreach and support service to people sleeping rough in the area.

The aims of this new service are to assist rough sleepers in accessing accommodation and/or employment opportunities and to assist rough sleepers to engage in services such as health and drug and alcohol services and mental health services.

Rough Sleepers can come to our Housing Options service for a homelessness assessment. If they are deemed to be in priority need under the Housing Act they have a right to be provided with emergency accommodation and have their longer term housing options assessed.

Teignbridge is also part of the Devon and Cornwall ‘No Second Night Out initiative’ which aims to put an end to rough sleeping across the counties.

There is 24-hour telephone hotline as part of this initiative which people can now report a rough sleeper by phoning 0800 151 3441 or completing an online referral form by visiting http://tinyurl.com/roughsleeping

Once this is done, help is then offered in an attempt to prevent them returning for another night outside.

We would urge anyone who sees a rough sleeper to report it either directly to the Council or by using this outline so we can make contact with them and offer support and assistance.

Ashburton & Buckfastleigh 'Shaping community services for the future'

Torbay and Southern Devon Health Care NHS Trust is consulting on 'options for care in Ashburton, Buckfastleigh and Bovey Tracey communities'

Last night the Trust together with the Shadow Chair of the local shadow Clinical Commissioning Group held a public consultation meeting in Ashburton Town Hall for local residents, to discuss the proposals contained in the Torbay and Southern Devon Health and Care NHS Trust consultation document, which can be found at www.tsdhc.nhs.uk  

Of concern to me and doubtless readers of this Blog is Ashburton and Buckfastleigh Community Hospital and its past, present and future. This is because this hospital was, as we heard last night,  originally paid for by private subscription, the land given for the purpose, and for 50 years was funded by the two communities. It has survived a number of attempted closures, but despite all of this, it is still there, and its 10 beds and unique local flavour evoke passionate responses in residents. It has a strong League of Friends and its physical siting in the Town means that it is accessible both by the Number 88 bus (which I have Blogged about previously - a grant service) the X38 and it lies just off the A38 and has free parking.

So why the fuss and emotional angst? 

Basically my understanding after last night's meeting - and I do very much suggest readers download and see the whole document for themselves - is the the Trust believe that our hospital will not be fit for purpose in the future and that they consider that with an aging population and the requirements of the older population these 10 beds should be transferred to Newton Abbot Hospital, and the monies saved invested in Community Care and treating residents in their own homes including end of life.

The meeting was told that the responses that will be received by the Trust, (to be considered by the Board in March - currently 27th but may be subject to change) will be listen to - it was a consultation.

Not to repeat last night's arguments for and against the proposals, I would though like to highlight some themes from last night that have been raised about the both the process of the consultation and the options being offered.

Last night's meeting raised both procedural and content questions, and in this we as a community are grateful to our Mayor Cllr. Elaine Baker for the time, research and her focus to pursue issues, about the validity of the dates between which the consultation was due (resulting in an extension to the 24th Feb); the papers associated with the consultation not being associated with the consultation (the Estates review has still to be completed as per NHS guidelines); and the non-supplying of specific date for the Ashburton/Buckfastleigh hospital and the running costs of the Newton Abbot PFI hospital. The distribution of the savings being made between Ashburton/Buckfastleigh and the rest of the Trust area, and the increase costs to be generated by community care outside the in patient beds system currently available. And some of the statements about the physical attributes of the building verses Newton Abbot hospital and home care.

Many speakers were concerned about the distribution of leaflets and information about the consultation process and this is leading to a distribution by the Royal Mail of further leaflets to the moorland areas.

Respondents should either complete the on-line form, email: consultation.tsdhc@nhs.net or use the freepost leaflet when it drops through the door or picked up in the Towns.

One thread throughout last night's meeting, echoed by residents young and old, was not only the professional way in which staff & volunteers carry out their duties at the Hospital, but also the caring nature, and the passion which staff have for their work and patients and the community in which they serve.

Ashburton and Buckfastleigh Community Hospital is surely an example of what we should expect from the NHS - when we need acute beds we go to a specialist hospital, but when we need intermediate care or just plain TLC. 

It was nice to see Buckfastleigh residents present including the Mayor Cllr. Rudgley and Chair of the League of Friends Dr Peter Edwards. Buckfastleigh residents have the same meeting on Tuesday 29th Jan.

Exactly what is wrong, (I being one of aging residents for whom this is designed),  with being able to be restored to full health, or ending our days, within a community context, near our family and friends, in a ward in which we can speak with other patients who we have probably known for years, with family and friends being able to pop-in?

Hey ho, but what do I know!

Major boost for first time buyers after new HomeBuy scheme is launched in Teignbridge

I reproduce below the Teignbridge District Council & Sovereign Housing Press Release regarding the new HomeBuy scheme following requests.

Major boost for first time buyers after new HomeBuy scheme is launched in Teignbridge

First-time buyers in the Teignbridge area now stand a better chance of acquiring the keys to their first home following the launch of an equity loan scheme.

People who want to own their own home in Teignbridge but have struggled to raise the deposit now have the opportunity to apply for a loan under the Open Market HomeBuy scheme, which is being run by Teignbridge District Council and Sovereign Housing Association.

The flexible and innovative initiative - often referred to as a shared equity scheme - is open to people in housing need who have a local connection, are in a household earning less than £60,000 and are unable to buy a suitable home without the help of the equity loan.

Buyers can look around for any home worth under £190,000 being sold on the open market in any part of Teignbridge. It can be a new build or a house that is already for sale, meaning people have the freedom to chose from any property on offer.

A mortgage or savings can be used to fund an agreed percentage of the purchase price for the home and Teignbridge District Council and Sovereign will then provide a loan on the remaining cost, up to a maximum value of 25%, depending on the buyers’ financial circumstances.

The Council is providing £300,000 for the scheme and Sovereign is contributing £100,000.

The scheme is aimed at helping a minimum of 10 local families buy their own home. Priority will be given to first-time buyers, key workers or housing association residents looking to move into home ownership.

Teignbridge District Council is holding a drop in event in Old Forde House, Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, on 30 January from 1pm until 6pm so people can find out more.

Tony Quigley, Sovereign’s Director of Home Ownership, said:

“We have funded Open Market Home Buy in other parts of the country and have found it to be a very successful initiative that meets a very real housing need. We are delighted to be able to work with Teignbridge District Council to help local households meet their aspiration to purchase their own home.”

Cllr Philip Vogel, Teignbridge District Council’s Executive Spokesperson for Housing and Planning, said:

“We are very pleased that together with our partners Sovereign Housing Association, we are able to offer residents who wish to remain living in Teignbridge the opportunity to do so.

“Through HomeBuy, residents will be able to get a secured loan so they can buy their first home, whether it is a new build or a property that is already for sale on the open market. It gives people the freedom to make their own choice about where they want to live without having to worry about saving a hefty deposit.”

“We have always said that we want to make it as easy as possible for first time buyers to get the best and most affordable opportunities to invest in bricks and mortar and this scheme gives a great opportunity to get that first foot on the ladder.

“Housing remains a major issue for many residents. It is one of the top priorities in our Council Plan and we have been looking at many ways of tackling the issue of how we provide affordable homes - whether it’s through investigating self build or shared ownership - as it’s what people tell us is one of the important things to them.

“This innovative scheme also allows the Council, in time, to recycle the capital benefiting from any uplift in house prices. It keeps families together and helps our local communities continue to grow and thrive.”

Loans of up to £47,500 are available and will be secured against the value of the property. No interest is charged for the first three years of the loan, and the loan itself is only paid back when the property is sold, when the final mortgage instalment is paid or at the end of 10 years.

Interested buyers must first register with the HomeBuy agent for the area, South West Homes, and be on the Teignbridge District Council housing list. To do so visit:www.southwesthomes.org.uk/ or contact 0300 100 0021.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For more information contact Teignbridge District Council’s Communications Officer Emma Pearcy on 01626 215164 or email: Emma.Pearcy@teignbridge.gov.uk

·        Sovereign Housing Association is one of the largest housing associations in the south and south west of England, owning and managing more than 34,000 homes. We work in over 50 local authority areas and employ over 1,000 people. We offer a wide range of affordable housing options, as well as now adding private market rent and outright sale to our portfolio.

·        Sovereign Housing Association is charitable and includes the non-charitable Sovereign Living Limited, one of the south’s leading affordable home ownership providers.

·        If you would like more information about Sovereign Housing Association, please contact Roy Probert, Public Relations Manager, on01635 277406 or 07827 356479, or emailroy.probert@sovereign.org.uk.

For the Teignbridge email disclaimer click the link below, or copy and paste it into your address bar.

http://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/index.aspx?ArticleID=16818

Happy New Year to all my Readers

New Year and back in harness.