I received notification yesterday from the NHS County Durham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) that the X-Ray facility at the Peterlee Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) is temporarily out of use. Please see the briefing note below which includes details of alternative arrangements provided at Hartlepool Hospital:
County Durham and Darlington FT currently provide the Peterlee Urgent Treatment Service and subcontract with North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust (who own the building) to provide the facilities.
The X-ray facility at Peterlee Urgent Treatment Centre has been temporarily closed due to essential maintenance issues as of 22nd April 2022 and therefore, this has left no option, but for patients who require an X-ray post assessment, to travel to the University Hospital of Hartlepool (UHH). The X-ray facility will be unavailable until approx. 30th May 2022, and North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust (NT&HFT) have stressed this could be subject to change due to building work/supplier issues.
County Durham CCG and CDDFT have explored the possibility of having a mobile x-ray facility in the area however, this was not a viable option due to the absence of a suitable lead lined area.
It was the understanding of the CCG that an arrangement had been made for NT&HFT to reimburse travel expenses for those patients required to travel to UHH for an x-ray, however, it has come to the attention of the CCG that in some cases this has not occurred which has resulted in a poor patient experience in at least one case that the CCG is aware of.
Peterlee UTC colleagues have reported that 25 patients have required an x-ray since 22nd April 2022 to date (c2 per day), but many have chosen to access other services rather than travel to UHH.
County Durham CCG have agreed to fund the costs of any travel from Peterlee UTC to UHH irrespective of any eligibility as part of the patient pathway
The CCG team have informed the staff at Peterlee Urgent Treatment Centre that patients who require an x-ray are able to utilise the County Durham CCG funded taxi framework. Staff at the centre will directly book the transport and patients will not need to pay the cost upfront and be reimbursed. UHH have been notified to pay travel expenses to patients within this pathway irrespective of eligibility.
Peterlee UTC colleagues has advised that should any further patients be unable to claim travel expenses, they will highlight this to the CCG.
