A Clinical Solution to Boost Health Service

MORE local health services are set to be provided in Edinburgh and the Lothians in a bid to slash waiting times and reduce bed blocking.

New agencies known as Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) are to be set up and given responsibility for running and expanding a range of local services including minor surgery, health visitors and mental health services.

Health chiefs believe that by providing more health services locally, they can stop people having to go to hospital for treatment.

This could take the form of more clinics or minor operations carried out at GP surgeries or local health centres.

And it is hoped that CHPs will reduce the number of hospital admissions and cut waiting times for operations as more people can be treated in the community, easing pressure on hospitals. Two CHPs are to be set up in Edinburgh, and one each for Mid, East and West Lothian, in line with the local authority boundaries.

The partnerships, which also have responsibility for GP services, pharmacies and some out-patient clinics, will be set up in April next year after the final proposals for the five organisations are approved by the health board later this month.

Health chiefs will take on work from local health care co- operatives (LHCCs), which run some local services. The CHPs will also set up partnerships with council services like social work, housing, education and community planning.

In Edinburgh, the CHPs will run the rapid response and older people’s support team, a joint council and health initiative to prevent bed blocking and stop old people being admitted to hospital.

The new director of health and social care, a super-department created by health and council chiefs, will have responsibility for community health partnerships. Brian Cavanagh, chairman of NHS Lothian, said: “CHPs are key to reducing health inequalities.

Only by working together and involving people in communities will we start to make differences to the health of the people of Lothian.

“The recently opened Leith Community Treatment Centre is an example of how the integrated approach can work, by providing hospital services in a local community setting.”

It is hoped that CHPs will see initiatives brought in such as GPs’ surgeries working together with hospitals to provide patient care closer to home for those with chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma and coronary heart disease.

CHPs will be introduced across Scotland next year under proposals introduced by former health minister Malcolm Chisholm in the NHS Reform (Scotland) Bill.

An NHS Lothian report about the plans reads: “The Scottish Executive Health Department’s vision is that CHPs will make a real difference to local communities by providing better health and social care services which will improve the health and social care outcomes for individuals, carers and families.”

Shadow health minister Shona Robison said: “CHPs have very ambitious targets but I think there is a lack of clarity about what they are going to do.

“My gut feeling is that where LHCCs worked well, the CHPs will work well. I think where they didn’t there are going to be difficulties.”