Clinical service strategies and plans

48

Some key elements of the trust’s clinical strategy have obvious links to the estate from which those services are delivered. Safe, effective, quality patient care requires that the environment is appropriate for all clinical activities and that service users and staff can enjoy a comfortable and pleasant environment in all trust facilities. Security requirements should be met in as unobtrusive a way as possible, although in some care environments, security considerations may override others

49

The KMPT estate needs to facilitate and support the delivery of services through clear care pathways so that

a) service users’ journeys with KMPT can be as positive as possible
b) the benefits of service integration are optimised and
c) that services can be delivered as efficiently as possible within constrained financial resources targeted at the frontline of care delivery.

In addition, some local care requires trust staff to work from premises outside of KMPT estate. KMPT has a responsibility to ensure its staff’s working environments are appropriate for their role and has reciprocal responsibilities towards colleagues from partner agencies who work from trust facilities to provide joined-up patient care.

50

Many background factors feed into delivering quality at the frontline and estates and facilities are good examples of this. Clinicians and those managing support activities require appropriate meeting and educational facilities on main sites, as well as the right technological connectivity to facilitate lifelong learning and collaboration. From an estate point of view, this means keeping abreast of all the latest best practice knowledge on healthcare environments. Knowledge of what constitutes a dementia-friendly or an unobtrusive secure environment (for example, the Dartford seclusion monitoring trial system mentioned earlier) has advanced considerably. CJLDs Red House

51

Technological advances provide new opportunities to address the often competing needs of safety and security (e.g. management of ligature risk) with the need for privacy and dignity and KMPT is at the forefront of applying new adaptations in the design and construction of the healthcare environment. Since 2012, KMPT has delivered three new acute units, upgraded a further seven acute units, pioneered “door-top alarm” antiligature technology, delivered a new (above) Mother and Baby Unit for the south east region and is currently completing work on upgrading its PICU facility. During 2019 and beyond will see delivery of the St Martins Inpatient Changes programme, including the opening of the new Heather ward planned at that site.

52

Across its estate and the necessary decisions about capital investment KMPT will have to continue to balance the competition for resources between those initiatives which improve accommodation and the environment for patients, staff and visitors and those which directly support frontline clinical services while living within its means at a time of financial constraint. The trust has already demonstrated its willingness to make difficult choices to ensure it uses its facilities effectively and efficiently.

53

Taking into account the views expressed by stakeholders, set out in paragraph 7-14 above, KMPT can identify a number of broad themes which have a direct impact on our approach to managing our estate and capital investment. Chief of these are:

• Safe, effective, quality patient care environments, as secure as appropriate
• Local joined-up patient care pathways, in partnership with others
• “Therapeutic” environments that support service user recovery and staff health and wellbeing
• Balanced investment decisions, ensuring value for money for service users, staff and the organisation.