Royal Borough health services adapting to meet changing needs
Plans for the future of key health services provided to Royal Borough residents have been outlined by the area’s NHS leaders.
Representatives from NHS Frimley – which covers the Royal Borough – met today (November 17) with local authority, voluntary sector and community leaders to share their ambitious vision and to begin conversations about the proposals.
The changes being developed include Integrated Care Hubs in Windsor, Maidenhead and Sunningdale – facilities to bring health, care and voluntary/community sector services together to work as joint teams to support their communities.
The team also outlined improvements in GP practices, including investment in telephone systems, new websites and online consulting tools – all to enable people to be able to access their practice faster and more easily. At the same time, the GP practice workforce has increased and now includes a wider range of roles, such as paramedic practitioners, physiotherapists, pharmacists, mental health practitioners, social prescribers, care coordinators and health and wellbeing coaches. These roles help people see the person who can give them the most appropriate care more quickly.
Same-day urgent care services are also expanding, with a new service now established at King Edward VII Hospital in Windsor. GP-led services are now available across the Royal Borough and can be accessed by appointment through local GP practices.
Work has been ongoing for some time with local GP practices and the Maidenhead Primary Care Network to explore ways of increasing the numbers of patients that can be treated at St Mark’s Hospital in Maidenhead and improving access to a wider range of services and healthcare professionals. More information will be shared with local residents soon and plans will continue to be discussed with local stakeholders and elected members.
Dr Huw Thomas is a Primary Care Partner Board Member of NHS Frimley and a GP in Maidenhead. He said: “GP services are the front door for most people in the country, when it comes to accessing healthcare – and they are under enormous pressure because of the demand.
“NHS Frimley, your local GPs and Primary Care Networks have been working together on a range of significant, long-term plans to support local services to be able to provide local people with the treatments they need both now and in the future.”
Caroline Farrar, Director of Primary Care Development for NHS Frimley, said: “We’re investing in infrastructure across local services, from digital technology to bricks and mortar, to create the platform our providers need.
“We’re also exploring different ways of delivering care by bringing some health and social care services closer together, making them more effective and efficient and providing a better quality of care for patients and service users.
“It’s an exciting time with some important and long-lasting developments under way or being planned, and we’re keen to share more information with local people as soon as we can.”