Staff engagement sessions - April 2021

Path to Excellence Phase Two - Staff engagement sessions for nurses, healthcare assistants, AHPs, and ODPs 

Tell us your views 

We are now restarting Phase Two of the Path to Excellence programme.  This will focus on surgical services including Trauma and Orthopaedics and General Surgery.  

The ‘working ideas’ we have shared so far outline a clear ambition to separate emergency operations from planned operations.  

This would provide an opportunity to help us offer the best possible care to patients at every step of their planned treatment journey.  

In future, this would mean South Tyneside District Hospital would provide only planned operations, with all emergency operations and some planned procedures taking place at Sunderland Royal Hospital.  Both hospitals would continue to provide outpatient services as well as diagnostic tests and scans. 

This will also provide positive opportunities for staff in terms of training and development, being able to share knowledge and skills across teams and create attractive roles for the future. 

The clinical teams are now refining these ‘working ideas’ to make sure any additional learning from staff and COVID-19 are factored into the plans before a formal public consultation is launched later this year.  

We want to encourage all nurses, healthcare assistants, ODPs and AHPs to get involved in the discussion. 

We understand that change can be difficult but we want you all to get involved. 

Tell us: 

• What do you think about the ‘working ideas’ for surgical care? 
• What worries you?
• What do we need to consider about the proposed models for Trauma and Orthopaedics and General Surgery?
• Anything we may have missed in the ‘working ideas’ so far? 

How to get involved and give your views

We are pleased to confirm our next round of staff engagement events for nurses, healthcare assistants, AHPs, and ODPs.  

• You can join one our live staff engagement events which will take place during  April. These events will be hosted by Matrons for T&O and General Surgery, Sharon McDowell, Head of Nursing and Ceri Bentham, Programme Manager.  See below for details:

•  You can also share your views and ideas via email at nhs.excellence@nhs.net