Plans for chest and lung operations in South Wales

Transcription

1 Plans for chest and lung operations in South Wales This booklet is about plans for chest and lung operations in South Wales. Doctors call this thoracic surgery. Page 1 of 25

2 Someone may need a chest and lung operation because of: lung cancer a hole in their lung needing a test called a biopsy another lung problem Page 2 of 25

3 The operation is done by a consultant. This is a doctor who has a lot of training and experience. This booklet is from the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee. We sort services that are only provided by a few centres in Wales or the UK. We make sure people can get a chest and lung operation if they need it. Page 3 of 25

4 Now, people in South Wales who need chest and lung surgery go to: Morriston Hospital in Swansea or University Hospital Wales in Cardiff. We may need to change this. This booklet tells you how we plan to decide. Page 4 of 25

5 We want to know how you think we should decide. You have until 29 November 2017 to tell us what you think. This is the Easy Read booklet. The full document has more details. Page 5 of 25

6 Information we will use to make our decision We talked to experts and patients. We talked to the Royal College of Surgeons. We looked at facts about chest and lung surgery in South Wales. Page 6 of 25

7 This is what we have learned. We will use this information to make our decision. 1. People with lung cancer wait too long for an operation. People may wait too long for other chest and lung operations as well. 2. In the future consultants will learn to do heart operations or chest and lung operations. So we cannot ask a consultant to do both. 3. Morriston Hospital and University Hospital of Wales are small centres. Each hospital has 2 chest and lung consultants. Page 7 of 25

8 The Royal College of Surgeons think more people will get better if we have one larger centre in South Wales. 4. We think any centre needs to operate on at least 150 people for lung cancer. In 2015, Morrison operated on 139 people. University Hospital Cardiff operated on 151 people. In the next few years, we think more people will need lung cancer operations. After that, we think fewer people will need lung cancer operations. Page 8 of 25

9 5. We think any centre needs at least 4 consultants to do chest and lung operations. This is so operations can happen all day, any day. So if we have 2 centres, we will need at least 8 consultants. The Royal College of Surgeons says we only need 5 consultants for South Wales. Page 9 of 25

10 6. It is easier to get good staff at a bigger centre. A bigger centre can offer more services than now. It is easier for a bigger centre to cope with emergencies, changes and some staff being ill or leaving. 7. Moving all the chest and lung operations to one hospital will not change other local services. 8. Patients will still get most of their treatment at their local hospital. Page 10 of 25

11 Deciding if we need 1 or 2 centres We have given this information to the Project Board. The Project Board includes: people who know a lot about chest and lung surgery staff from health boards Page 11 of 25

12 people who work for charities community representatives The Project Board will give us advice. Page 12 of 25

13 Deciding where the centre will be, if we only need 1 centre If we decide we need 1 larger centre, we will have an independent panel. The panel will say where they think the centre should be. The independent panel will include: people who know a lot about chest and lung surgery people who have had chest and lung surgery Page 13 of 25

14 staff from charities an independent Chair The Panel will not include people from Cardiff or Swansea. It would be hard for them to be independent. The Panel will look at: what we have found out Page 14 of 25

15 if our plans may make life harder for some groups of people if the centre should be at Swansea or Cardiff. Extra information We think chest and lung surgery should be at the same hospital as heart surgery. We do not think chest and lung surgery needs to be at the same hospital as the major trauma centre for South Wales. Page 15 of 25

16 We want the Independent Panel to think about: How easy is it to get to the one bigger centre? This means looking at travel times, travel distances and public transport. How easy is it to be a high quality centre? This means looking at staff, equipment and surgery space Will the centre work well in the future? This means looking at recruiting staff, other plans at that hospital, if the centre can take more patients. Will the centre improve standards across South Wales? This means looking at links with universities and links with experts. Page 16 of 25

17 Chest and lung operations in South Wales What I think Name: I am telling you what I think I am telling you what an organisation thinks. The organisation is called: Page 17 of 25

18 Please tell us if you have a special reason for being interested. For example, tell us if you will make money if we do what you suggest. Page 18 of 25

19 How to tell us what you think Anyone may see your answers. If you want something kept private, please tell us. Do not put personal medical information. Use words, not abbreviations. Do not send us research articles, letters or leaflets Page 19 of 25

20 Please send your answers to: Thoracic Surgery Review Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee Unit 3a, Caerphilly Business Park Van Road Caerphilly CF83 3ED Page 20 of 25

21 Questions about the Project Board s work Have we given the Project Board the right information? Page 21 of 25

22 Do the Project Board need any more information? Is this a good way to make a decision about 1 bigger centre or two smaller centres? Page 22 of 25

23 Questions about the Independent Panel s work (if we decide we need 1 centre) Have we asked the Independent Panel to think about the right things? Page 23 of 25

24 How can we check if a centre is doing well now? Page 24 of 25

25 Anything else? Do you want to tell us anything else? Thank you for telling us what you think. This Easy Read was prepared by Barod Community Interest Company Using Photosymbols Page 25 of 25