Annual Report 2006/07 - Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital

Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust Annual Report 2006/07
Strategic Directions & Priorities
In the past few months the RD&E has been
undertaking a review of strategic plans for the
future. When we were originally preparing to
become a Foundation Trust, we put together
a Service Development Strategy, with the
involvement of local people, staff and partner
organisations, to map out our plans. Three years on
we need to update that strategy to take account of
recent or impending changes in the NHS, like the
formation of the Devon-wide Primary Care Trust or
the new GP commissioning arrangements.
This work is being led by the Trust’s Board of
Directors, in collaboration with the Council
of Governors, and also we’ve relied on the
involvement of members and staff to help us
put our plans together. Via the RD&Express,
our membership newsletter, we asked 5,000
members to complete a questionnaire, picking
response was excellent, with 2,138 members
getting back to us with their views. A similar
questionnaire was completed by members of
staff, and when the analysis was complete it
showed that both groups agreed that our top
hospital infection; continuing to meet targets; a
clean and tidy hospital; ensuring patients get the
food and nutrition they need; less time waiting
once at the hospital (e.g. to see the doctor).
The next step is to ask members to attend a
priorities, to help us get further suggestions,
so that we can better understand what
improvements matter most to patients and
visitors. In a similar way, groups of staff have
been invited to a series of meetings, so that
people from all areas and professional groups
can get involved in this important work.
Governors Making a Difference
As well as their vital role in the review of the
Trust’s strategic directions, the Governors have
work in the past year, among them a revision
of the Constitution, the appointment of a new
Non-Executive Director, and approving the
appointment of the Senior Independent Director.
As national guidance and greater understanding
of the Governor’s role continues to develop, so
healthcare have increased. Many Governors now
attend well over 20 meetings a year, and the
Trust relies heavily on their commitment and
goodwill, as they give their time voluntarily.
Governors have been involved in the procedure
for choosing a supplier for the new system of
food preparation and distribution for the Trust
(see page 7); a Governor took part in the Patient
Environment Action Team inspection, another
has represented the Council of Governors at
the Trust’s Audit Committee. Governors were
also able to offer their collective opinion of
the Trust’s performance in the past year to the
Healthcare Commission, as part of the Annual
Health Check.
Trust Governors welcomed visitors to the RD&E
Open Day celebrating nursing and midwifery.
Governors have been involved with the
membership via quarterly constituency meetings:
although they are of variable attendance in rural
areas, they have proved to be worthwhile.
Efforts continue to alter days and times of these
meetings to encourage greater membership
involvement, and we would be delighted to see
more members attend these meetings in the
year ahead. Governors will also be involved
in the Top Five Priorities focus groups.
At a national level Governors take part in the
National Governors Forum, contributing to the
understanding and development of the role.
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