2018 - Dermatology

The CCG gathered views from the public through surveys about dermatology in order to design a new service to start from July 2019.

As part of the pre-procurement exercise the CCG reviewed the design of dermatology for north east Essex to ensure that the service commissioned aligns with the CCG values and strategic direction of travel.

A letter was sent to stakeholders requesting their input into design of the service specification. Stakeholders included patients and the public, clinical networks including the Cancer Network, British Association of Dermatologists, healthcare providers and general practice staff, the voluntary sector including charity and support groups, ECC, MPs and the media.

A supplier engagement event was advertised nationally and held in October 2018. It was attended by eleven organisations. Organisations were also encouraged and given opportunities to shape the service

The CCG communications team conducted a patient engagement exercise seeking views about the dermatology service provided across Colchester and Tendring. As part of the survey, the CCG asked for people’s experiences of accessing and using dermatology services in the area. It was an opportunity to share feedback on various themes, asking whether services could be improved for the future, and if so, how. The survey also explored what is working well and what the CCG should continue to aim for in a new service design. A press release about the survey released by the CCG was published in the local press which helped to increase awareness of the survey. The survey was available online via SurveyMonkey and in paper format which recipients were asked to send back to the CCG via a freepost address. This was a targeted engagement over two weeks in order to gather a snapshot of views to inform the procurement process. The timelines involved in the procurement process allowed for limited period of time for public engagement, circa 100 responses were received.

Project team members attended the Colchester and Tendring Health Forums asking them for their views and requesting them to cascade the surveys to the public.

A patient representative from the local Health forum was part of the evaluation panel, and her views and evaluated scored were taken into account in the evaluation phase.

In this review we received 98 responses, telling us about what was important to our local residents and stakeholders about dermatology services. Key themes included that continuity of care was important, patients wanted to make the most of their own and the service's team with regards to dermatology and that patients preferred to see a specialist rather than a GP.

In response we have commissioned a service that:

• Will be personalised as much as possible to ensure that continuity of care is provided throughout care pathways and it is the expectation that the service provider will work collaboratively with other health care providers to optimise information sharing where this is necessary. For example, if there are delays affecting onward care this will be communicated with other providers so that appropriate action can be taken. The service provider will ensure that the patients’ GPs are kept informed of their care and any progression in treatment or condition.
• Will provide one stop clinics where clinically appropriate to do so. For example, the service will provide ‘see and treat’ clinics for minor to moderate skin conditions, and will aim to maximise use of technology to help avoid unnecessary visits. It will also include a triage service to help ensure that patients are seen by the most appropriate clinician and in the right setting for their needs.
• Is consultant-led and delivered within a hospital setting where this is clinically appropriate to do so, ensuring that care is delivered with the required multidisciplinary and professional specialist expertise. However, the provider will also be expected to work in close collaboration with health care professionals in both primary care and the community to ensure that patients are managed at the level of care and in a setting most appropriate for their clinical needs, whilst ensuring that the service is operated by a multi-disciplinary team of dermatology clinicians.

Animation produced for the engagement