Patients Council Meeting – 28 January 2019
Guest speaker: Steve Shon from Capital Planning
Steve came to discuss Capital Planning’s role in the development of the new Phase II building which will house existing rehab patients & have a low secure area. (CP) is part of the NHS who essentially bridge the gap between services & the people who carry out the building work. Steve has worked for CP for over 20 years, the same involvement time with the REH. The project is revenue funded which means once the final proposal is in place it will be put forward to the Scottish Government to request the monies. The PC have been involved in various meetings with CP & others since last year in order to make sure the Patients Voice is heard in obtaining the kind of building they want; one that will be not only suitable for purpose but with the hope of offering things like enough family rooms & green spaces which are very important with facilitating their recovery. Steve deals with issues such as any problems in the building itself, making sure the plans translate into a workable building for patients & staff & accessibility issues for patients & visitors. The recent commitment from the Scottish Government to bettering services for MH was mentioned along with the differences in the building strategies between the Phase I building & the Phase II proposal. Steve was keen to point out that any problems that have since arisen with Phase I will be taken into account so any mistakes won’t be repeated. Trying to put forward a proposal that meets everyone’s expectations is challenging & making sure that the things discussed are clarified in fine detail to avoid any future complications are of the utmost importance. Bed numbers increasing was mentioned but the number proposed has significantly decreased from previous years- Steve said that whatever numbers are finalized he is there to implement these decisions, not make them. CP are assisted by HUB, a development partner set up by the Scottish Government who can co-ordinate public services & resolve procurement & ligature adjustments like bathroom alternations & snagging. Issues like working within the timescale to build the facility & the idea of a café were also discussed. Steve said that as with any project any unexpected things can also cause delays…e.g. things like old piping underground needing to be removed. Hopefully they won’t encounter too many obstacles as the new facility is needed ASAP!