Welcome to the latest edition of our news in brief feature, where we cover the latest news from around healthcare. In other news, we recently updated our jobs page with more exciting roles being added in the next few weeks and our Forward Healthcare Awards gets underway next month!
New Chief Executive for East England Ambulance Trust
The new Chief Executive at East England Ambulance Trust has started his first day in the role. Tom Abell joined the organisation from Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, where he was deputy Chief Executive.
Nicola Scrivings, Chair of EEAST, said: “I am delighted to welcome Tom to the Trust. With substantial NHS leadership experience in acute, mental health and commissioning, Tom brings a wealth of expertise to the position of CEO along with the experience and drive to deliver real improvements for our patients and staff.
Dr Tom Davis was interim Chief Executive since last September and will now revert to his previous role as deputy Chief Executive.
Tom Abell said: “I am honoured to have joined EEAST as chief executive and am proud to be working for the Trust that serves my family and friends across the East of England. I am looking forward to working closely with our people, stakeholders and partners to further develop and improve the services we provide. I recognise that we have some major problems that we need to tackle – particularly how our people treat each other. We have too many examples of poor behaviour and it must be brought to an end. Let me formally underline my commitment to turn this around.”
New Integrated Care Record for Shropshire
Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System has announced a new scheme that will see residents’ health records, available on one single integrated health record.
The personal information that healthcare staff will see includes; the patient name, date of birth, gender, address, telephone number, NHS number, GP Practice and GP. The medical information staff will be able to access includes medications, allergies, ongoing and historic conditions, immunisations, and diagnoses, test results, hospital referrals, admissions, discharges, and clinics attended, social and mental health information and care plans.
The One Health and Care system will allow doctors, nurses and other registered health workers to see key information, and is set to be rolled out across Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Shropshire Council (Social Care), Telford & Wrekin Council (Social Care), Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
New pregnancy app introduced
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has announced a new online service for pregnant mothers that will be rolled out at Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal hospitals.
BadgerNet will be used in maternity settings to let expectant mothers see their health records and other vital information. An app will be available, on smartphones and tablets and will replace the traditional paper-based notes, that have been used before.
Dr Mei-See Hon, Clinical Director, Obstetrics and Consultant Obstetrician at SaTH, said: “It is so important that women have as much control as possible throughout their own pregnancy journeys. This new service will allow them to have more convenient and timely access to key information, and also ensure that their choices on what they want to happen at each stage are clearly captured for all those caring for them to see.”
Those who are already accessing maternity services will continue on the current system to ensure continuity with their records.
Buxton bids for new hospital
Derbyshire Community Health Services Trust has confirmed it will be placing a bid to be part of the new hospitals programme launched by the government.
Public bodies have backed the bid to create a new community centre in the town of Buxton, with artists impressions already published to give an idea of what the community centre might look like.
William Jones, deputy chair of the Buxton Project Control Board and executive board member for Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Despite the inevitable delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, we believe we’re in a strong position in Buxton to secure this once in a generation government funding. We’ve already purchased the three-and-a-half-acre site and completed the outline business case following many months of detailed work involving all 11 partners. We’ve also secured outline planning consent from High Peak Borough Council, so the future is looking bright.”
The bid has been supported by the following local healthcare organisations: Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Buxton Medical Practice, Stewart Medical Centre, Elmwood Medical Centre, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, DHU Health Care and Blythe House Hospice.
New Board of Director appointed
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust has announced a new appointee to the Board of Directors. Professor Kia Nobre, joined last month after Professor Sue Dopson of Oxford’s Said Business School left the trust after 9 years of service.
David Walker, Chair of Oxford Health, said: “We’re delighted to welcome not just a distinguished scientist to the board but someone deeply versed in translating new knowledge into therapies and techniques of practical benefit to NHS patients.”
Prof Nobre, added: “ I am delighted to be joining the board of Oxford Health. As a scientific researcher, I am passionate about innovating new ways of understanding the human brain and bringing cutting-edge and rigorous fundamental cognitive neuroscience to translational and clinical research for societal benefit.
“As a scientific citizen, I am committed to keeping curiosity and science alive in the world. I try to share my wonder and delight about discovering the nature of things with those around me. To this end, I am dedicated to educating, training and mentoring – and helping individuals forge career paths that bring them meaning and fulfilment.”
RCN NHS pay consultation to begin
The Royal College of Nursing has announced that a consultation process focusing on NHS pay rises, will begin on the 12th of August.
The 3% pay rise was announced last month, and the campaign Fair Pay for Nursing, has called for a 12.5% increase. Members of the RCN are invited to take part in the consultation and will be sent an email containing a link to give their thoughts on the dispute.
The consultation will open to members from England and Wales, it has yet to be announced what pay rise will be introduced in Northern Ireland, and the 4% pay rise offered in Scotland was rejected by members of the union.
Civica will act as the independent provider for a vote, that will be sent via email, the consultation will close on the 13th of September at 12pm.
