A report on my first days

I have attended my first Council of Governors and today attended the quarterly Trust Board Meeting. The papers included the Annual Accounts on performance and finance. In essence the Trust had a resonable financial year with a resonable surplus and the quality accounts showed very good clinical service to us the public. Obviously there were a few concerns here and there but that should not detract from all the very good stuff. This financial year is however going to be tough (as with all NHS hospitals) and the following years will be tougher! A few highlights:

• The hospital runs a suite of over 80 projects 'Patients First' all aimed at improving patient care. A considerable commitment.
• the hospital organised a Peer Group Review of its processes for dealing with those with a learning disability. The team included a service user, a carer and two learning disabilty nurses, The feedback from the day was positive and the hospital has agreed an action plan for further improvement.
• the hospital also organised a Peer Group Review of Privacy and Dignity. The review was undertaken by a senior team from Western Sussex NHS Trust. The overall result was a 'score' of 95% which is good. An action plan has been formulated based on the results.
• A recent unannounced visit by the Care Quality Commission resulted in a very good report all round. The one downside I picked up was waiting times in OPs. The report should soon be on the CQC web site.
• MRSA has all but disappeared in the hospital. One case in the year so far.

If anyone wants a copy of the Learning Disability or Privacy and Dignity Report I am sure the hospital will provide one.

Anybody can attend the hospital's quarterly Board meeting. It's a bit mechanistic but the discussion can be interesting. Dates and times on the hospital web site.

New Endoscopy Suite

Last Tuesday I was shown around the new endosccopy suite which will open first week of October. Wow - is it wonderful? It certainly is. All the latest clinical equipment of course and state of the art decontamination steriler/washers. As you enter the decor takes your breath away - a very sophisticated lilac and purple theme with matching small bucket chairs and coffee tables in the patient lounges which would do credit to a five star hotel. The walls are in gracious curves and there is plenty of natural daylight. Our hospital has given us something to be really proud of.

A new Governor

Hi. I am Ray Rogers and in September 2012 I was elected a Governor of the Royal Surrey County Hospital Foundation Trust to represent members of the Trust who live in the Guildford District of Surrey. I promised to keep in touch with those who elected me and this blog is part of fulfilling that promise. I will post here what I do and what I feel you should know about the Trust. I hope you will reciprocate and help me to be a good Governor on Guildford's behalf.

I should say at the outset that I am not empowered to take up complaints on behalf of individuals or individual concerns: they should be directed to the hospital itself (for concerns through the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) or, for formal complaints, to the Chief Executive). However I do want to know what you think of the hospital (good or otherwise) so that I can tailor my activities accordingly.