BHRUT annual report 2009 - Barking Havering and Redbridge ...

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Barking, Havering & Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust
A message from the Chairman
and Chief Executive
Welcome to our Annual Report for 2009/10.
There is no doubt that the year brought some
major successes.
Our performance across the board has improved,
which you can see detailed further on in this report.
Making these improvements while cutting waiting
times and working to a strict financial budget is due,
in no small part, to the dedication and hard work of
our staff and volunteers.
To work alongside our Clinical Divisions, we have a
new clinical leadership with Ian Abbs, Medical Director
(on secondment from Guy’s and St Thomas’
Foundation Trust), Deborah Wheeler, Director of
Nursing, Dylan Jenkins, Director of Emergency Care
and John Alcolado, Director of Medical Education.
We have introduced changes throughout the
organisation to ensure that patients are not staying in
hospital any longer than they need to. Diagnostic tests
are easier to access, results are available sooner, and
daily ward meetings have been arranged to discuss
the care and progress of every single inpatient.
The success of these individual changes has seen
waiting times being cut, most notably in Accident and
Emergency. There is still some way to go, but a
dedicated Emergency Care Transformation Team has
enabled improvements to be made and embedded
into the organisation.
The experience of people while they are with us is
hugely important, and something which we will
continue to focus on. We have introduced an
Improving Patient Experience Board, and Deborah
Wheeler also established a nursing visible leadership.
This sees senior nurses - including our Director of
Nursing - back in uniform and back on the wards.
Looking at issues from a grass roots level allows us to
see what our patients, visitors and staff see, and spot
any issues that need resolving or improving.
Services have continued to develop. Notably this year
we have been named as a Hyper Acute Stroke Unit for
London – one of only eight across the capital. This will
be a great boost for patients who suffer a stroke as
they will be able to access the very best treatment
right here on their doorstep - vastly improving clinical
outcomes.
We have continued to make much-needed financial
savings this year, and have hit the targets laid down
for us. The Trust is still in deficit, but is working
steadily towards a break-even position.
We would like to personally thank all our staff and
dedicated volunteers for bringing about these
improvements and for continuing to work tirelessly to
improve the services we offer.
We are also pleased to have strong relationships with
our primary and social care colleagues and with our
patients to help shape the future of healthcare in the
area.
We would like to thank Barbara Liggins for being
Acting Chair for the first nine months of 2009/10.
We place great emphasis on meeting and listening
to staff, patients, visitors and our partners and
stakeholders. The Trust Board is committed to
ensuring that we continue to improve the quality of
care and patients’ experience so that the care
delivered to all our patients is consistently of the
required standard.
Sir David Varney
John Goulston
A message from the Chairman and Chief Executive