Hello everyone
Another busy couple of weeks; I’ve been out and about across the trust and want to draw attention to some of the great work taking place here at ELHT.
I recently had the great pleasure to congratulate the eight young adults who had just completed their four-week Prince’s Trust placements with us here in ELHT. They worked in a variety of departments including Catering, Laundry, Finance and Patient Services. Their enthusiasm was so impressive, and they all described a really positive experience they’d had with us. Almost all are continuing to work on our Bank, and we have a great track record of being able to offer substantive employment to these talented young people. Getting started with a first job is often so difficult to do, and I really hope we can continue to work with the Prince’s Trust to provide a great opportunity for as many young people as possible in this way.
Last week I very much enjoyed joining in the afternoon tea parties in Park View Offices to celebrate the NHS Birthday. The food and entertainment was great. My huge thanks go to Denise, Emma, Sally and our Comms and charity team who have rolled out the red carpet and put on a Tea Party for each of the Divisions in the Trust this year.
Out and about this week I paid a visit to HSDU, the unit where we clean and sterilise all operating equipment and theatre gowns. A very well run operation by very committed staff. I also visited laundry services, where they launder all our bed linen, towels and so on. There are only about 10 NHS hospital sites who have their own in-house laundry services, and I was overwhelmed by the scale of the service and how well-organised our department was. Very impressed by the ironing machine that irons the sheets – the staff load more than 200 sheets per hour into it. And, as Lynne Fort who managers the service showed me, they clean 20,000 mop heads per week! That’s a lot of floor mopping. Couldn’t resist taking a few photos!
Very well done to Burnley Urgent Care Centre - on Wednesday they had 158 patient attendances and treated and discharged all of them – 100 per cent - within four hours. Well done everyone, I know this isn’t easy to achieve.
On Thursday morning, I visited Ward B18 where it gave me great pleasure to present this month’s Employee of the Month award to Staff Nurse Vicky Rhodes. Speaking with Vicky’s colleagues, they told me she is an excellent nurse and role model, treats everyone with respect and nothing is ever too much. Vicky’s professionalism, commitment and dedication deserve to be recognised with the Employee of the Month award. Congratulations, Vicky!
Joke of the week this week comes from the “Joke of the Day” collection being compiled in the staff gym (with thanks to all who have contributed).
Last week I paid a joiner to make a bed for me.
He’s only gone and done a bunk with the money.
Thanks everyone.
Damian