This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Fife gets £1.63 million from fund
25/07/2003
Patients in Fife are to benefit from £1.63 million to develop services and a further £398,000 to improve cardiac and stroke services.
The £1.63 million will support NHS Fife's plan for redesigning and modernising services. Health Boards were asked to submit plans for their share of a £26 million fund outlined at the launch of the White Paper, Partnership for Care, in February this year.
Confirming approval of the Board's plan on visit to Fife, Deputy Health Minister Tom McCabe said: "This means that the Board can now go ahead and develop detailed proposals which will make a big difference for patients across the Kingdom.
"The central themes of the White Paper are decentralisation and devolution of power to frontline staff so that they can improve services for patients.
"I am very pleased to be able to see how this is being implemented in Fife. There are good projects under way - like the new cataract service at the Queen Margaret which has made a big impact on waiting times and the innovative joint working between the Board and Fife Council in successfully tackling delayed discharges.
"We are determined to remodel health service with the perspective of the patient at the forefront. That transformation is already evident in one stop and fast access clinics and other redesign initiatives which remove artificial barriers between primary and hospital care.
"There is a groundswell among both clinicians and patients for extending this further to improve health services at a local level across the country. There is a lot more which can be done and we are determined to give such innovative projects every support."
The additional £398,000 comes from the Executive's CHD/Stroke strategy funding and is in addition to the £100,000 already allocated for this year and next to assist with development of the cardiac services and stroke Managed Clinical Networks in Fife.
The new funding package includes:
- £68,000 to set up a one-stop cardiology outreach clinic in St Andrews to bring about a significant reduction in waiting times in central Fife. The clinic will be staffed by a visiting consultant cardiologist and a local GP;
- £45,000 to appoint a Cardiology Nurse Specialist to develop and manage care pathways for patients with suspected chest pain. This will help with identification of high-risk patients and encourage their early access to treatment;
- £47,000 to appoint a CHD Nurse in North East Fife, to bring it into line with other areas of Fife which already have community specialist nurses in place.
- £200,000 to enhance nurse and Allied Health Professional staffing levels in dedicated stroke inpatient areas. Implementing the staffing levels recommended for stroke units in national guidelines will lead to better outcomes for patients, earlier discharge and reduced numbers of admissions to long-term care. It will also improve staff training;
- £18,000 to set up a Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) clinic which will allow patients rapid access to a one-stop service for access to imaging and investigation by a physician to determine diagnosis and treatment options. This will help provide 24 hour access, and access to tests within 48 hours of referral.
Mr McCabe said:
"Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke are two of the biggest killers in Scotland and the prevention and treatment of both conditions is a key priority for us.
"The funds allocated today will not only lead to major improvements in services for patients in Fife but will also help many get treatment closer to their homes. We are determined to ensure that where services can be delivered locally, they should be delivered locally."
The £26 million is part of the 2003/4 Scottish Budget monies. Health boards were asked to submit robust change and innovation plans for a share calculated on the same basis as their ordinary revenue budgets.
The Centre for Change and Innovation was established by the Health Department in November last year to promote innovative practice across NHSScotland. Its current work includes redesign of outpatient services, improving access to primary care, and supporting a range of pilot projects in health boards.