Agenda item

(To receive a report from United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which invites the Committee to consider and comment on the service proposals and to formulate a formal response to the consultation.  Laura White, Head of Nuclear Medicine at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust will be in attendance for this item)

Consideration was given to a report from United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT), which invited the Committee to comment on the service proposals, and to formulate a formal response to the public consultation on Nuclear Medicine Services at ULHT, which was due to close on the 23 May 2022. 

Attached at Appendix A to the report was a copy of consultation document for the Committee’s consideration.

The Chairman invited Laura White, Head of Nuclear Medicine ULHT and Anna Richards, Associate Director of Communications and Engagement ULHT, to remotely, present the item to the Committee.

In guiding the Committee through the report reference was made to:

·       the background to the nuclear service at ULHT;

·       the challenges faced by nuclear medicine nationally;

·       the challenges faced by the nuclear medicine service in Lincolnshire with the shortage of clinical technologists.  Staffing information was provided on page 69 of the report pack for the three sites currently providing nuclear medicine services;

·       the case for change, it was noted that at present staff and services were spread so thinly across the three sites, and that low levels of staff absence impacted on the amount of work the service could perform; and

·       the options appraisal, this identified that the safest way to provide a sustainable, long-term service was to reduce the number of where sites nuclear medicine was provided, which would then reduce the redundancy of equipment and create a greater capacity to replace aged equipment and allow for better staff cover.  Details of all the options were shown on pages 72 to 80 of the report pack.

During consideration of   item, the Committee raised some of the following comments:

·       As there was a shortage of technologist nationally, how were other hospital trusts managing the service.  The Committee noted that all areas were in a similar position, as this was a national problem.  The problem was training and retaining staff whilst still providing a service.  It highlighted that Lincolnshire had converted one of its technologist posts to an apprentice post in a bid to grow their own technologists.  It was also highlighted that there was a shortage of radiologists in Lincolnshire who held an Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee (ARSAC) licence and trained Medical Physics Experts;

·       Some concern was expressed that equipment had not been replaced earlier and to the proposed reduction in the service at Grantham Hospital;

·       Whether the service had experienced any supply issues of radioactive materials.  Reassurance was given that cancer patients were prioritised, but it was not known what the longer-term effect would be;

·       Some members felt that the consultation appeared to be pre-determined;

·       It was highlighted that the NHS nationally should have confronted the issue of a shortage of specialist staff earlier and should have ensured that training was available to ensure continuity of the service.  The Committee was advised that ULHT was trying to run an efficient service and reducing the number of sites nuclear medicine was provided from was a sustainable option; and

·       Concern was expressed that centralising services would mean that residents of Lincolnshire would have to travel further.  Further concern was raised that carparks provided at the selected sites were already at full capacity.

RESOLVED

1.      That thanks be extended to United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust for presenting its consultation document on Nuclear Medicine.

2.     That a draft response be compiled based on the comments raised and that the draft response be submitted to the next scheduled meeting of Committee on 13 April 2022 for approval.