Health hub plans moving ahead as public meeting due

Hopes of creating an integrated health care hub in Midhurst are gathering momentum.
DM16119629a.jpg Sussex NHS Community Trust launches recruitment drive in Midhurst for nurses so Community Hospital can be reopened. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-160525-154519008DM16119629a.jpg Sussex NHS Community Trust launches recruitment drive in Midhurst for nurses so Community Hospital can be reopened. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-160525-154519008
DM16119629a.jpg Sussex NHS Community Trust launches recruitment drive in Midhurst for nurses so Community Hospital can be reopened. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-160525-154519008

A public meeting is planned in October to discuss progress on the plans for part of Midhurst Community Hospital to facilitate better holistic care, in particular for the frail and elderly.

In a video update, Dr Emma Woodcock, the clinical director for the rural north Chichester primary care network, summarised feedback to date from residents on the project.

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She said people had been most concerned about services being local and accessible, the provision of adequate transport options and carers for people who may be struggling to manage on their own.

She said: “We’ve reached the point now where we feel we know what patients would like to see happen with our NHS services.

“We’ve spoken to our workforce and they have given us some very good ideas for the future.

“I also went to visit, with colleagues, the Surrey Downs Health and Care Centre at Epsom District Hospital a few weeks ago.

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“This has given us a really clear idea of how important it is to create a hub that is based in one large room, where workers from a number of different organisations can speak to each other face-to-face on a daily basis, and help provide a smoother patient journey across the services.”

She said healthcare professionals were looking to create a physical hub in part of Midhurst Community Hospital alongside a ‘virtual hub’ of community nursing teams across the four GP areas covered by the hub: Loxwood, Pulborough, Petworth and Midhurst.

“This is a very exciting time for us and we are hoping to be able to provide more details for this service over the next few weeks,” she added.

A public meeting on the plans is due to be held at The Hall at the South Downs Centre in Midhurst on Tuesday, October 8, from 5pm to 7pm.