UCLH News Issue 17 Spring 2010 V5 LRes 190410 - University ...

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Welcome Editors Welcome I am delighted to bring you this special edition of UCLH NEWS, in which I interview the Chairman Peter Dixon and Chairman-Elect Richard Murley. I am also pleased to report that the governors reappointed Jane Ramsey and Sue Atkinson as non-executive directors, who will work alongside Richard Murley on the Board. Richard, with whom I worked closely when he recently chaired the quality and safety committee, has made a significant contribution strongly representing the patients’ interest and I look forward to this continuing when he takes the reins as Chairman. This is also the election edition! – of course I mean for governors and not MPs - and I would encourage all members to vote - you may also like to consider becoming a governor yourself. In this edition we feature the work of governors and tell you something about what motivated them to get involved. Tricia Pank, Patient Governor Tricia Goes Face to Face with the Chairmen! Sir Peter Dixon is leaving in June after a highly successful term as Chairman. I chatted to him in his office overlooking the impressive UCH Hospital. Peter has been Chairman since 2001 and the first Chairman of UCLH FT. He was also the first local resident to become a member, saying this he reached for his wallet and proudly showed me his membership card number 001! Members and governors alike owe a lot to Peter and his style of leadership - when asked about his strategic vision he said “I’m not a great one for strategy but when we achieved FT status in 2004 and established the Members’ Council (now Governing Body) I did have a vision of using the Governing Body to make the Trust more responsive to patient needs, I think we have achieved that”. The introduction of members and elected governors has required greater openness and accountability from the Trust. Peter continued “I am very proud of what the Governing Body has achieved - we have found effective ways of working together, striking a balance between what governors and the Board do to ensure we get real value and patients get real benefit from governor involvement. There was some scepticism in the early days as to whether FTs would work; there is general acceptance now that the governors through the knowledge they bring to the Trust have brought us closer to our patients - it is about respect and trust and building good working relationships”. Peter wants his legacy to be fully involved governors – many of the current governors have been on the Governing Body since 2004 and will be leaving in the next two years. He said “It is really important they hand over the mantle to new governors who can continue their excellent work.” He finished by saying “membership is part of being an active citizen; this is to be encouraged.” On behalf of the Trust and its members, I thank Peter for everything he has done; his leadership, humanity and openness will leave a lasting legacy for the Trust. 001 a hard act to follow! R ichard Murley who was appointed by the Governing Body as the new Chairman will take up his post in July. Richard, a local resident and member, has been a non-executive director for 18 months. I asked for his thoughts about the Governing Body he was inheriting and the contribution it makes to the Trust. He said “governors have a very important role to play because the Trust’s main focus must be on patient care - the key role of governors is to keep the Trust’s nose to the grindstone. I really think it is excellent that governors are so committed and that they sit on sub-committees such as the quality and safety committee. I am very impressed by the efforts individual governors make to understand some of the complex issues; they are well informed and act effectively in the interests of the patient. There is a clear correlation between how informed, briefed and ‘under the skin’ governors are and the contributions they make.” Richard is very supportive of governors’ efforts to make sure the Trust does what really matters for patients. “It is an excellent arrangement and should continue. The governor’s role has an important statutory function as well as an important practical one which focuses on patient issues. Governors hear what patients want.” He believes the involvement of governors in formal and informal groups is important and will make efforts to keep them well briefed. Like Peter, Richard also wants to encourage a higher number of patients and local residents to become members – this really gives people an opportunity to identify with the Trust and get involved - it gives people a voice. He would like to see the highest possible turnout in this year’s Governing Body elections to ensure that the members are fully represented and said he would strongly support initiatives to encourage more members. I wish Richard success in his new role, I am confident he will be a worthy successor to Peter Dixon. UCLH News Issue 17 Membership office - tel: 0207 380 9290 email: foundation.trust@uclh.nhs.uk 2
Trust Matters Quality, Efficiency and Productivity The NHS faces tough financial times ahead and there is a challenge for all hospitals and staff to cut waste, avoid duplication and work more efficiently without any compromise in care to patients. To address this in January 2010 Sir Robert Naylor, Chief Executive launched the Trust’s quality, efficiency and productivity programme (known as QEP). The QEP is our plan to work in more efficient ways to help reduce costs whilst providing the same high quality and standard of services. The launch provided staff with the opportunity to showcase to other staff examples of how changes they have made are already positively transforming areas of clinical care and non clinical services. Sir Robert said “We must not lose the enormous Jim Easton, Tara Donnelly and Sir Robert Naylor at the launch improvements we have made in the quality of patient care. We have got to the top of the league tables for our quality and we want to stay there”. Our QEP was endorsed by Jim Easton, NHS national director of improvement and efficiency who attended the event and said “the difficult economic climate demands a ‘completely different approach’ to the way the NHS delivers services and UCLH is leading the way”. One example of this is on ward T10 at UCH, which is our elderly care ward, a shining example of how efficient ways of working have made life better for patients, whilst at the same time promoting the best use of clinical resources. Ten months ago, just 13% of patients on the ward were discharged before 11am. This has soared to 50% and was achieved by the multidisciplinary team of nurses, therapists and doctors working together to look at the processes involved i.e. what happens when a patient is due to go home - to identify ‘blocks’, or ‘hold ups’ that cause delays - and remove them. Sharon Lynagh, the ward sister said “the improvement is particularly popular with our patients who find it comforting to know they will be going home during daylight hours.” UCLH Chief Nurse wins prestigious award Louise Boden OBE, chief nurse at UCLH, won the Nursing Times lifetime achievement award for her outstanding contribution to healthcare improvement and the nursing profession. Louise was nominated for the award by the chief nurse of England and patients and staff could go online and vote. Louise had won 'wide respect' for nurturing and developing talent both in promoting the careers of chief nurses at NHS trusts and in believing that every nurse, midwife and their support staff had the potential to develop. She said: "It is a great honour to be recognised by my peers but my achievement has only been possible because of the support I myself have received throughout my career and the remarkable nurses and midwives at UCLH." She accepted the award on behalf of all nurses and midwives in UCLH. Carbon Oscars - Red carpet goes Green! During Oscar week the red carpet was rolled out for staff playing the starring roles in the Trust’s campaign to reduce its carbon footprint. The ‘Carbon Oscars’ were hosted by Trevor Payne Director of Facilities to celebrate the Trust’s commitment to improving the environment. Trevor said: “We have had a lot of support for our work in this area and our carbon champions have taken on a lot of extra work which is deserving of red carpet treatment.” Ros Waring chatted to some of the carbon champions to discover what is being done in patient and non-patient areas. One green champion who works in the finance department said “I always ensure, along with other colleagues, that equipment and lights are turned off before going home as saving energy saves £££!" Caroline Townsend in nuclear medicine, said “we have ‘switch it’ signs visible in our department and have placed recycling bins wherever possible, including waiting areas. Everyone is becoming more aware of the benefits of saving energy - Together we can all make a huge difference”. The Green Oscar UCLH News Issue 17 Membership office - tel: 0207 380 9290 email: foundation.trust@uclh.nhs.uk 3
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