Hospitals' future secure (From Gazette & Herald)

Hospitals' future secure

THE COMMUNITY hospitals at Malton and Whitby have a major role to play in future health care, members of the area's community health council were told this week.

The assurance came from Michael Whitworth, chief executive of the Scarborough, Ryedale and Whitby primary care trust when he presented the new model for health services to the CHC.

In it, the PCT's clinical strategy project group, which produced the report, said of Malton Hospital: "It is intended to develop the hospital as a facility for the wider community by providing a wider range of services delivered from more modern and more flexible facilities".

The Malton Hospital plan includes providing a ward for intermediate care where treatment in a patient's home is not appropriate but where transfer to Scarborough General is not needed. In addition, says the report, it is planned to improve the range of rehabilitation services and facilities at Malton, and develop stroke rehabilitation services and a primary care emergency centre that links family doctors' out-of-hours services with the minor injuries service at Malton Hospital.

Mr Whitworth said the aim was to strengthen the role of Malton Hospital as "a provider of day surgery services, either under local or general anaesthetic and increasing the range of diagnostic services provided at Ryedale family doctor surgeries as well as the hospital."

He said it was hoped that elective surgery could be done at Malton hospital in the future.

On dental services, the CHC was told by Mr Whitworth that more money would be invested because £35m government funding was being made available.

Updated: 10:25 Tuesday, November 04, 2003