On July 10th 2011 the Midlands Treatment Centre (MTC) in Burton Hospital will no longer be managed by Nations Healthcare (NHC) who are owned by Circle, which may be a more familiar name to you. Burton Hospital Foundation Trust (BHFT) will take ownership of the building and begin a short period of refurbishment. During this time patients who would have been scheduled to have treatment at the centre may experience changes to where their care is received, but in all likelihood will still be treated within the Midlands Treatment Centre.

A press release summarising the changes taking place is now in the public domain. The press release gives contact details of South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) Complaints and Enquiries Team as well as a South Staffordshire PCT enquiries mailbox for those patients who may have concerns or want more information about how the changes will affect them. The service is for patients living in Staffordshire, Leicestershire or Derbyshire. See below for contact details.

The following background information should assist when being contacted by members of the public to provide reassurance:

What patients will this affect?
Patients who are being referred or who are receiving treatment for:

Ophthalmology conditions
Pain Management
Conditions requiring day case surgery

How will this affect patients?
All patients who are not already on a pathway of active care will have a choice of where they continue to have their treatment provided once Nations Healthcare no longer provides it. Some patients may choose to be seen at another hospital, but this may result in them being seen by a different Consultant and possibly a change in the treatment being prescribed.

The PCT will be writing to all patients that are currently under the care of the MTC to tell them about the changes and to give them the option of transferring their care to the new local providers, or to another provider of their choice.

During the refurbishment period arrangements have been made for patients to be seen in other departments within Burton Hospital. Many of the Consultants currently working at the MTC and other medical staff are also working at Burton Hospital, so if patients decide to opt for their treatment to continue at Burton Hospital they may have a change in the location of their treatment, but their Consultant and treatment is likely to remain unchanged and will continue to be delivered on the Burton Hospital campus.

Patients currently under the care of the Chronic Pain Management Service at the Treatment Centre should note that this service is being renewed and will be delivered by South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust’s Provider Services from July. Patients will no longer have to travel to one location to receive their treatment, but instead will be able to access the service closer to home, in Burton, Lichfield, Tamworth and Uttoxeter. Patients will be contacted over the coming weeks to advise them of the exact changes to the pain management service.

Will there be a delay in the time it takes to get treated?
We will endeavour to ensure that there is no delay in the time it would normally take to be treated, or be seen in follow-up appointments. In a case where urgent treatment is required, the patient will be seen at the earliest possible time. Access to the usual range of emergency medical treatments and services (including the eye casualty service) in the Burton-upon-Trent area will not be affected in anyway by changes in MTC management.

How long will this interruption go on?
Refurbishments will start during June, or early July (when Nations Healthcare start to move out) and are likely to be completed during summer 2011. The Treatment Centre should be fully operational by this time, with the only difference to patient care being that the service will be delivered by Burton Hospital Foundation Trust.

Will there be a change in the quality of care?
The PCT is working closely with Nations Healthcare, Burton Hospital Foundation Trust, and South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust’s Provider Services to ensure that patients will continue to receive the highest quality of care. The change-over is being monitored closely by the PCT and their Quality Assurance Team, as well as independently by the Local Involvement Networks (LINks) and Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSCs).

Who do patients contact for more information?
Patients with concerns are being directed to South Staffordshire PCT Complaints and Enquiries Team/PCT mailbox for MTC enquiries via press releases, information to GPs, Optometrists, Local Involvement Networks, Overview & Scrutiny Committees, etc. All feedback will be channelled through the PCT Quality Assurance Team to ensure early detection of any decrease in standards of patient care.

Telephone:
PCT Complaints and Enquiries Team:
01889 571826
01889 571772
01889 571810

Email:
Dedicated mailbox for Independent Sector Treatment Centre (MTC) enquiries:
ISTC.Enquiries@southstaffspct.nhs.uk

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) PALS@southstaffspct.nhs.uk

In writing:
PCT Complaints and Enquiries Team, South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust, 107-111 Anglesey Court, Towers Plaza, Wheelhouse Road, Rugeley, WS15 1UL