michael matheson on chalmers sexual health clinic

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Ministear airson Siainte Poblach

Minister for Public Health

Micheal Matheson BPA

Michael Matheson MSP

FIT:0845 7741741

E: scottish.ministers@scotland.gsLgov.uk

Ms Kezia Dugdale MSPThe Scottish Parliament

EDINBURGH

EH991SP

Ur faidhleNour ref: GC-16/08/11Ar faidhle/Our ref: 2011/1014951

I September 2011

The ScottishGovernmentRiaghaltas na h-Alba

Thank you for your letter of 16 August regarding the new Chalmers sexual health centre.

I was fortunate to be asked to open the centre on 31st August. While the centre is an

excellent new service, as can be expected with any such significant development, there have

been a number of teething problems as you point out in your letter.

My officials have discussed these issues fully with NHS Lothian. I am reassured that the

problems encountered are due in part to the popularity of the new centre and high demand

for services. I am sure you will agree that this is a good thing.

However, it is important that teething problems are addressed to ensure that this popularity

continues, and that the centre remains credible and high quality.

NHS Lothian have provided the following comments in response to your particular points:

Queues - there have been complaints from patients regarding the queues to get into

the building and then within the building. Initially this was due to a number of IT

problems that reduced the service's ability to get patients onto the system quickly and

then seen by a clinician. This has improved greatly over the last two months but there

is still work to be done to make the patient management system work more smoothly.

We expect to see improvements in this aspect over the coming months.

Staffing - there has been a suggestion that reception staff coming from family planning

are not trained in GUM issues.

Taigh Naomh Anndrais, Rathad Regent, Dun Eideann EH1 3DG

St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG

www.scotland.gov .ukr. ' \ . "VE ST OR 1:' \1PE OPL E

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The reception staff from family planning have operated the electronic patient

management system longer than the GUM staff and are confident with the system,

however, bringing together two services that saw on average 500 patients a week each

is a huge administrative task. It will take time for all staff to get up to speed with the

new protocols in place for the new service. On a very positive note, all clinical staff

have been dual trained in the run up to the opening of the new building, working across

both family planning and GUM sites for the past year so that they can competently dealwith patients attending for both GUM and family planning services.

Telephone system - there have been some problems with the new service which are

now being addressed and this should be resolved within the next month.

Patient Experience - NHS Lothian is keen to capture patients views on their use of

NHS services as part of their quality improvement work. A substantial patient

experience survey was undertaken with patients prior to the move to provide a baseline

of patients views. This will be followed up after one year and tl]ree years as part of theevaluation of the new service~ A s part of NHS Lothian's continuous improvement

approach the Board is also asking a sample of patients every week what they likedabout the service, what wasn't good and how it could be improved. Whilst patients have

expressed concerns about the telephone systems and appointments, they have

overwhelmingly commented that the quality of care they have received was excellent.

This is encouraging for the service.

The service is about to undertake some work with the Lean-in-Lothian  team looking at

how the patient pathway can be improved to ensure that the patients who need to be

seen are seen. However, there is a broader issue around the provision of sexual health

care by other services and the setting of clinical priorities for the new department will

mean that some patients will be asked to go and see their GP (particularly those with

routine sexual health issues). This may lead to an initial increase in complaints frompatients but is a necessary task if the service is to be able to respond to those most in

need of specialist sexual health services.

These comments are helpful and clearly indicate that NHS Lothian is aware of an addressing

the problems service users have experienced. I have asked my officials to monitor progress

with this over the coming months.

I hope you find this information-helpfuL

Michael Matheson

Taigh Naomh Anndrais. Rathad Regent, Dun Eideann EH13DG

St Andrew's House. Regent Road. Edinburgh EHl 3DG

www.scotland.gov .uk

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