Christmas decorations

I and fellow Governors had the pleasure of judging the hospital’s Christmas decorations. I always look forward to it. All wards participate and the effort which staff put in to it in their own time is wonderful. The winner is always announced on Christmas day and this year the winner was Eashing Ward which looks after the frail elderly and those with dementia. I mention it because of its theme. Apparently dementia patients tend to lose their will to eat because they lose their sense of taste. The last sense of taste to go is that of sweetness and so that was the theme chosen. Each bed bay was decorated with a different aspect of sweetness – donuts, fairy cakes, sweets, hockey-stick rocks – all beautifully hand made much with recycled materials. The other wards were also great but Eashing stood out. We are fortunate to have such dedicated staff at the Royal Surrey.

Major new equipment

The hospital continues to make major investments in costly equipment.

• two new linear accelerators in Radiotherapy
• a third Robot has been ordered - the Royal Surrey is a world leader in robotic surgery
• a MRI scanner is to be installed in Cranleigh Hospital
• the Royal Surrey's CT scanners are to be replaced with the latest.

Excellent news for patients and a sign that the hospital has recovered from the financial crisis which it experienced such a short while ago.

New Urology Centre
The newly built Urology Centre was handed over to the Royal Surrey this week and I was shown round yesterday. It is a great addition to the hospital and will greatly enhance its services in an area where demand is high The centre has been funded 50% by the Prostate charity which is an amazing fund raising achievement driven by Colin Stokes after whom the centre will be named. The centre is now being equipped and should be up and running by the turn of the year.

An accolade.  

Prof Bill Fawcett Consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain has been awarded the 2018 British Medical Association first prize for his publication 'How to survive in Anaesthesia'. Good to know we are in the hands of such eminent clinicians !!

The Royal Surrey has appointed a new Chief Executive. After a tough process of head hunting, presentations and role playing the Royal Surrey has appointed Louise Stead as its new CEO. Paula Head the existing CEO will leave the Trust in September after being in post for 2 years.

Louise Stead has for some years been the hospital's Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and has acted as deputy CEO in what has been a rotating post between senior executives. As CNO she has been first class - decisive, energetic, loyal and well liked and respected by clinicians across the board. Her appointment as CEO is great news.

The Royal Surrey has been nominated for a National Health Service Journal award for a new advice and guidance service. It provides rapid advice to GPs on treatments and referrals Whist getting fast access to specialist advice to patients it has to date avoided 1,600 appointments and saved £430,000. Good use of  IT and innovation.

The Royal Surrey has recently formed a company HPL which it 100% owns. It has transferred to this company ownership of all its medical equipment (£ multi-million) including linear accelerators. The company has taken over responsibility for all equipment maintenance and the procurement of any new equipment which it will similarly own. Staff in the hospital who were responsible for these functions have been transferred and are now employees of HPL. The Chief Executive is Alf Turner who was the hospital director responsible for these matters.

Why has this been done? It is expected that the new company will manage maintenance and procurement better and more efficiently with a projected saving of approx. £1.5 million per year albeit is not clear why this could not have been achieved by the same people employed within the hospital. Very significantly there will be a saving this year related to VAT of approx. £2 million. It is a very strange world where a NHS hospital can in essence avoid VAT by such means but other hospitals are doing it !! Whilst I understand HMRC are reviewing these arrangements they are of course legal and will financially benefit the hospital.