Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) which provide an overview and update of UHL’s ‘Our future hospitals programme’. A copy of the report, marked ‘Agenda Item 11’, is filed with these minutes.

The Committee welcomed to the meeting for this item Ben Teasdale, Associate Medical Director - Reconfiguration & Digital Transformation, UHL, and Jon Melbourne, Chief Operating Officer, UHL.

Arising from discussions the following points were noted:

(i)           UHL was waiting for the New Hospitals Programme (NHP) to confirm the funding envelope to progress the design of the new buildings. Funding had been received from the NHP to prepare both the Leicester Royal Infirmary and Glenfield Hospital sites for the large-scale building works. In response to a request from a member for a detailed plan and timetable for the New Hospital Programme, rather than just a narrative update, it was explained that this was not yet available as the Programme had been paused whilst confirmation of the funding was awaited.

(ii)         Hospitals in the New Hospital Programme were required to use a standardised modular design approach known as ‘Hospital 2.0’. The modules would be built offsite and then placed into position at the site using a crane. This would result in economies of scale and increase the speed of construction. However, it was not expected that hospitals in Cohort 3 such as UHL would have to completely comply with Hospital 2.0. Those hospitals would implement the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) approach but exactly how this would work was not yet clear. A member raised concerns with regards to how the modular approach would fit alongside existing older style buildings at UHL. In response it was clarified that the modular approach only applied to the ‘new build’ areas and not to where old buildings were being refurbished.

(iii)        The relocation of the Leicester Royal Infirmary Hearing and Balance service had not been part of the acute and maternity Public Consultation completed in 2020, as at that point in time, there were no plans to move the service. It was now proposed that the service be moved to the Leicester General Hospital (LGH), forming a part of the East Midlands Planned Care Centre. A patient engagement exercise had been completed, involving a survey of patients attending the LRI Hearing and Balance clinic, with staff proactively distributing questionnaires and supporting people with completion as necessary. A member raised concerns that this method of engaging with patients would not result in full and accurate feedback as patients would not be so frank and honest as they would be in a private consultation process. In response reassurance was given that patients were not required to complete the questionnaires on the premises.

(iv)       A satellite hearing booth would be built within a dedicated room at the Leicester Royal Infirmary ENT clinic, primarily to support inpatients onsite. It was not a mobile unit; it was referred to as ‘satellite’ because it was not part of the core hearing service based at Leicester General Hospital.

(v)         Given that there had been some changes to UHL’s proposals which were originally consulted on, for example the budget and bed numbers, Members queried what the threshold would be for a full re-consultation having to take place. In response it was explained that the main criteria was whether the clinical plans had changed. UHL sat in Cohort 3 as one of eight new hospital developments but were re-consultation to be required UHL’s place in Cohort 3 would be put at risk.  UHL assured that the clinical plans had not changed and UHL was taking all measures possible to ensure re-consultation was not required.

(vi)       As part of the New Hospital Programme UHL would be making greater use of digital technology. A new Patient administration System (PAS) had been written for UHL which would be used from 2024 onwards.

(vii)      It was questioned whether the removal of Intensive Care beds from the General Hospital should be reconsidered and whether the number of High Dependency beds were adequate. In response reassurance was given that the numbers of beds were adequate.

RESOLVED:

(a)        That the contents of the report be noted;

(b)        That officers be requested to provide a further report on the Future Hospitals Programme for a future meeting of the Committee once there has been any significant developments, to include a detailed explanation of how modular building construction works.