Agenda item

24.1     The Committee considered an update report on the implementation of the new paediatric service model at EDGH. Since implementation there had been no adverse safety events nor complaints made about the service.

24.2     The Committee asked if patients, families and staff were positive about the new service model.

24.3     Dr Matthew Clark, Consultant Paediatrician and Head of Service, explained that staff were generally positive about the new service model. Patients and families had been positive as well and the model had received fewer complaints about the service than it previously had.

24.4     The Committee asked when ESHT expected to get to a seven-day a week paediatric service in ED.

24.5     Dr Clark explained that it was difficult to give an exact date when a seven-day a week service would be available, as it was a comparatively small team, so only a small number of people would have to be out of work for capacity to change. ESHT had recruited a number of trainee advanced nurse practitioners, and when they all qualified then in theory there would be sufficient staff for a seven-day a week service, hopefully within the next 18 months. This was dependent on them completing their training.

24.6     The Committee asked which Healthwatch recommendations had been taken forward.

24.7     Dr Clark explained that the implementation of recommendations 1 and 3 of the Healthwatch report were dependent on physical space, and that in an ideal world ESHT want a larger ED space. Recommendation 5 was dependent of staffing as outlined in the previous answer. Recommendations 2 and 4 were relatively simple fixes that were already being worked through. Recommendation 6 required some consideration, as there were some young people who would prefer to be in an adult’s waiting area than a children’s one, and options were being considered as to how to best accommodate young people of all ages.

24.8     The Committee asked whether ESHT could provide an update on patient pathways.

24.9     Dr Clark reassured the Committee that all necessary pathways were now in place, noting that they were internal procedural documents that would not normally be shared with HOSC. However, they could be provided if the Committee wished to see them. Paediatric surgery, imaging (such as MRI, CT, X-ray etc) continued to function at EDGH without any changes. There were also now systems in place to do paediatric endocrine testing, allergy testing and blood tests in out-patients, which were previously provided on the Short Stay Unit. Due to planned changes to specialist children’s cancer services in the South East, paediatric chemotherapy had been paused at EDGH as a wider review was ongoing.

24.10   The Committee asked for an update on the future use of the Scott Unit at EDGH.

24.11   Dr Clark confirmed that the Scott Unit remained a part of the paediatric division, but that detailed plans were still being developed as to how it would be used in future. Whatever plans were brought forward it was likely that capital funding would be required to develop the unit.

24.12   The Committee asked what the impact of child poverty and deprivation on paediatric services in Hastings and the Broomgrove area specifically.

24.13   Dr Clark agreed that there were significant health issues that arose from child poverty and that it was a serious issue. He noted that the paediatric in-patient ward was based in Conquest Hospital. ESHT worked with primary care, local government and education to address the issues raised, including whether there was potential to have paediatric specialist clinics in GP surgeries to reduce the travel burden for patients and provide care closer to home. Ashley Scarff noted the important role of Integrated Community Teams (ICTs) to meet the needs of specific communities and to implement the county-wide Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

24.14   The Chair noted the Committee’s thanks to Healthwatch for the report it provided.

24.15   The Committee RESOLVED to:

1) note the report; and

2) receive an update in September 2025.