Informing the future direction of North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust
North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust provides acute and emergency services primarily to local people in Enfield and Haringey, serving more than 350,000 individuals.
Throughout June and July 2018, Healthwatch Enfield engaged local stakeholders in conversations about the future direction of the North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust. We asked Enfield residents, Councillors, commissioners and voluntary sector representatives to:
- identify challenges being faced by North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust and some potential solutions to addressing these
- articulate information requirements and criteria for the Board at the hospital to take into account when assessing an option of a full membership of the group of hospitals within the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
- consider how local people, primary, community, mental health and social care services should work together in the longer-term to support a care economy that delivers excellent services and outcomes for Enfield’s residents
With the North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust’s commitment to responding to the changing needs of the local population, Enfield’s residents were clear that the top challenges requiring most urgent attention are:
- inappropriate use of A&E,
- delivering high quality care and patient experience,
- recruitment and retention of staff,
- addressing the financial deficit,
- delivering services that meet local needs
Key findings
With options available for the Board to consider when setting the future direction of the North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust, individuals who engaged in conversations with Healthwatch Enfield were clear that any developments concerning the hospital should:
- bring additional money and resources to support North Mid
- clearly demonstrate benefits and how services could be improved for local people
- demonstrate understanding of the local population’s needs and how to deliver services effectively
- guarantee that North Mid remains accountable to local people and stakeholders
- demonstrate what additional support would be provided to staff working at North Mid
Through its engagement and outreach work, Healthwatch Enfield has collected an evidence base that can be utilised to inform the appraisal of and decision-making about the North Middlesex University Hospital taking on a full membership of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We recommend that the Board at the North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust ensures the delivery of a comprehensive document that answers the questions raised by local people; ‘to listen carefully to views and ideas and ensure these are factored into the development of the case for change’.
