Hello everyone, happy Friday
Well it’s certainly been a busy week, with lots to tell you about. I even managed to write a mini-midweek blog on Wednesday!
The countdown to Christmas has begun and tomorrow we will be hosting the first of our children’s parties at RBTH, with the second at BGTH next weekend. I know a lot of people will have been working really hard, helping Santa behind the scenes, to make sure these parties are a great success and ensure fantastic festive fun is had by all. Thank you.
Earlier this week, I attended the launch event for the Centre of Excellence For Safety in the Care of Older People, which ELHT will be hosting. This is a really exciting and influential project and it fits in with our aspiration to be the safest acute Trust in the country and our ongoing campaign to keep patient safety at the top of everyone’s priorities. According to the CQC, well over half of all acute Trusts are rated inadequate or requires improvement for safety. I am glad to say that is not the case for us as our safety rating is good, but like everything else, we aspire to be outstanding. Older people are a significantly growing population and I am delighted that we are involved in a project to ensure excellence in the safe care of older people locally, nationally, and internationally.
At the other end of the population spectrum are babies. Thanks to a new in initiative, mums who are parted from their babies after giving birth with us are now able to see their newborns using Facetime. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre has invested in two iPads specifically for this purpose, using money donated to the unit. These are now used by mums unable to go and spend time with their baby after giving birth if they are too unwell.
I’d like to give a special ‘shout out’ to the night staff I met this week when I popped in to see them on Wednesday night. Hospitals are busy places at night and as always, I was humbled by the fantastic work being done right across the hospital in wards and departments. Greetings also, to the wonderful people at Blackburn Birth Centre who welcomed me warmly when I went there this week. You are all doing a fantastic job and you are very much appreciated by your patients and your community.
Finally, congratulations to Les Stove, Assistant Chief Executive for being invited to become a member of the Executive Committee of the United Kingdom International Healthcare Management Association. This invitation will help ELHT become more recognised both nationally and internationally.
Until next time…
Best wishes, Kevin