Annual Report and Accounts 2012/13 - Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital

6 1. Chief Executive’s Introduction
Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
Quality Report 2012/13
Chief Executive’s Introduction
Welcome to the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation
Trust’s Quality Report for 2012/13.
Delivering high quality, safe care with
compassion and respect is what we
constantly strive to achieve for each
and every one of our patients. Our
staff, whether on the front line of care
or in a support function, are the people
who bring this principle alive. I would
like to extend my own thanks, and
that of the Board, to our staff, for their
tireless work to ensure that all of our
patients receive the best possible care.
I am proud of what we are able to
deliver: the passion and commitment
demonstrated time and again by our
staff – even through challenging times
– never ceases to amaze me.
Earlier this year, when launching
his response to the second Francis
Report on the Mid Staffordshire NHS
Foundation Trust and proposing further
changes to the health service, the
Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy
Hunt, talked about the importance of
the NHS having ‘high quality care and
compassion’ at its heart. I believe that
we fulfil this principle.
Our Quality Report is a key publication
for us. It is the vehicle through which
we reflect and report on progress
against the past year’s quality
improvement targets and focus on
where our effort should be directed for
the coming year.
Our aim is always to provide the highest
possible quality of service for our
patients, wherever and however they
come into contact with us. That means:
• Placing patients at the centre of
all that we do –an individualised
approach that takes into account
their medical needs as well as their
wider experience of care is essential
• Continually reviewing what we
do, looking for innovation and
improvement and focussing on
evidence-based outcomes
• Being consistent so that the
quality offer is the same whenever
you come into hospital, whatever
treatment you require and
whomever you encounter – from a
receptionist to a consultant
• Delivering safe clinical outcomes
that meet or exceed patient
expectations and that are delivered
efficiently and effectively
• Investing in developing and
maintaining a workforce who care
passionately about continuous
improvement and who feel invested
in, supported and listened to
• Ensuring strong and consistent
leadership on quality issues and
ensuring that we recognise those
who make a difference
• Being open and transparent –
learning from what we do well,
as well as where practice does not
meet our expectations
• Taking part in clinical audit and
research of local, regional, national
and international significance.
We see this as an important way
to evidence our commitment to
improving the quality of care we
offer. During the last year, for
example, we helped to found the
emergent South West Peninsula
Academic Health Science Network,
enhancing our existing research
partnerships and collaborations
and promoting the spread of best
practice across the peninsula.