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Written by Communications Team
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Welcome to our Spring 2012 edition of Members’ Matters.
We had a very busy start to the year, as, along with other hospital Trusts in Surrey, we felt the full effect of winter pressures on our wards.
It was against this backdrop that we received a report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), following their visit in December last year. While there were positive aspects to the report, we were disappointed that the CQC raised concerns in three important areas - read our Chief Nurse’s report opposite on how we are addressing these issues.
In February I was joined by the Mayor of Runnymede Councillor David Parr and some of our patients and staff when we officially opened Wren (Weight Reduction, Endocrine and Nutrition), a new dedicated bariatric unit for specialist weight loss surgery at St. Peter’s Hospital.
Members Matters (Spring 2012)
- Congratulations to our 6000th member!
- Introducing the Trust’s new Medical Director
- New catering and retail services
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) concerns addressed
- All in a day’s work
- Joined up working - the secret of success for stroke patients
- New technology improving patients’ experience
- Disabled access guide updated
- Changes at St. Peter’s Hospital site
- First online survey of members
- Spelthorne by-election
- Contact your Governor
- Diary Dates 2012
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I also had the pleasure of attending an event for our members looking at Stroke Services. I was very impressed by the presentations given by the many staff involved in the complex care that stroke patients need, helping them to rebuild their lives after stroke - read more on page 6.
Some of our members and governors have told us they would like to know more about what else goes on every day in our two hospitals. In this edition we begin a short series, aiming to show you some of the many things that happen during a typical working day, caring for our patients - see pages 4 & 5. Following approval of the Government’s Health and Social Care Bill by the House of Lords and the Queen’s granting of Royal Assent, the Health and Social Care Act (2012) became law on 27th March.
We continue to forge strong relationships with our local Clinical Commissioning Groups in Surrey, which will take over fully the planning and funding of the majority of health services from April 2013.
Meanwhile our plans to acquire Epsom Hospital have been scrutinised by the Transaction Team that is overseeing the process, and discussions are still taking place about some of the detail including finance. Our board’s main concern is to ensure that acquiring Epsom would be in the best interests of the populations that use all three hospitals, and that a period of financial support is agreed to protect our Trust from the pre-existing debt at Epsom.
You may have seen that St. George’s Healthcare NHS Trust has decided not to pursue its bid for St. Helier and Sutton Hospitals, currently in a single hospital Trust with Epsom. However, we will continue to progress our plans, and we are awaiting first stage business approvals from London and South of England Strategic Health Authorities by the end of May 2012. Finally, I would like to welcome Dr. David Fluck to the Trust’s Board as Medical Director, and wish him well in his new role. Dr. Fluck has been with the Trust since 1996 and was previously Deputy Medical Director.
Aileen McLeish
Chairman
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 18 April 2012 14:30 )
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