Shared Interest Forum created

My fellow Governors have agreed to my suggestion that there should be a Shared Interest Forum for understanding the clinical performance of the Trust. I will be the facilitator and I and eleven other governors will comprise the group. Governors tend to concentrate on patient experience which of course is very important. However to my mind the critical issue for patients is how good the clinical care is e.g. clinical outcomes,. The latter is not so clear to patients or the public and when I put myself forward for election that is what I promised to concentrate on.

The Forum will be seeking to understand clinical performance by looking to see what clinical standards the Trust sets for itself, from where those atandards derive and what they mean in terms of ambition. We will work to understand to what extent the Trust meets its own standards and how the Trust compares will others in the locality and more widely e.g. nationally. We have decided to start with clinical performance in avoiding venous throboembolism and pressure damage/pressure sores. I will report from time to time on the results.

Eye Clinic Update

I was recently briefed by the Ophthalmology team on progress with the Eye Clinic improvements. The Clinic Manager computer system is in place but it was agree that the screens could be better placed and another would be warranted. Also what is displayed is not very clear to patients. They will address both these issues.

New staff have now been recruited and the new rooms are in operation. Some extra waiting space has been created. A drinks machine is being installed.

A new system for getting and tracking notes has been implemented with significant improvements albeit I have heard from one patient that it is not perfect.

A 'time and motion' study is underway to identify bottlenecks in patient flow. This will be used to see how to improve the worst aspects of the clinic – extremely variable waiting experience.

By July all improvements which are deemed possible with the current restrictions on space and equipment will have been implemented. A longer term business plan for extensive changes will then be presented to the hospital Board. I have been briefed on its essence and it will, if it comes about, be great for patients.

Finally a weekly one page summary of progress is now being produced and will be handed out to Eye Clinic patients.

I am pleased to say that the team has agreed to include in their deliberations an Eye Clinic patient who I nominated.

So far so good but some way to go which the Board and the Chief Executive both acknowledge.