I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Chelwest team—our staff, our governors, our volunteers—for taking time out of their busy lives to give so generously back to the communities we serve. It was my first Open Day and as Chief Executive I felt very proud of the commitment and dedication which was evident in every person involved in the day.

I’d also like those representing external organisations that came and provided support on the day. This includes the Fire Brigade, Ambulance Service, Clinical Commissioning Groups, Carers UK, Healthwatch and our charity partners. We were delighted that mayoral representatives from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the Borough of Wandsworth were able to attend and witness the open day for themselves. A special mention must go to our caterers, porters and estates and facilities teams for helping us to keep the hospital running as normal in the midst of such a busy occasion.

This year is the 20th anniversary of when the hospital was opened by Her Majesty the Queen. This special moment in our history was marked by guest of honour Maureen Lipman CBE who officially opened the event and was interviewed on Hospital Radio, which we hope patients who were unable to join in with the festivities enjoyed. She also met Pluto, the latest member of our team, a state of the art robot that allows us to carry out less invasive surgery on children and babies.

There’s a more fundamental purpose about such events though in my mind and its one of those seemingly ‘untouchable’ but very tangible qualities of organisations that aspire to excellence. It’s a hallmark that says ‘this is who we are’ and ‘ this is what we are about’—the total collective value of which is far more than the sum of its parts. As much as we have  to improve upon in all that we do—this is our point in the journey so far and these are some of the people lighting the way. And what a light they shone—from every corner of our organisation and every walk of trust life they came to fill in the rich picture of what happens here every day, be it visible or hidden. I think that’s one of the reasons people would choose to work here—it’s way more than a job—it’s a way of life. The Open Day represented what was best at Chelsea and Westminster and, indeed, the NHS as a whole.

Old organisations ceased to exist, with GPs now taking the helm for commissioning hospital services for the local communities they serve. Responsibility for public health now rests with local councils.

And change continues apace with the reconfiguration of A&E and maternity services across a range of areas that will make sure that those needing emergency support can receive this from a senior doctor or midwife 24/7.

A part of this relates to finances and, like all public services, we must provide the taxpayer with excellent service that truly represents value for money.

I welcome many of the NHS changes, in particular a clinically-led primary care system where GPs and public health doctors can work with their hospital counterparts to provide a service that truly meets local need and helps address health inequalities. Our new medical director Zoë Penn has already met with our local GP leaders and constructive dialogue about how we develop community services together has begun. These developing relationships will translate into a better experience across primary and secondary care for the communities we serve.

The NHS is not the same as it was 10 years ago and we must adapt to this changing climate. Recently we have been discussing the Trust’s strategy for the next decade. That might sound a little ‘lofty’ but it is in fact a serious business for an organisation that serves more than 2 million people and has a collective responsibility with other health partners to address the population’s future health need. These discussions have involved clinicians and managers looking at the current service provision and taking account of the impact of technology, skills and changes in clinical practice over the coming year—this work continues.

What’s becoming clear is that a population living longer and needing more form the health service will themselves need to helped with information and access to expert advice without recourse to the traditional model of coming to hospital outpatients or indeed visiting their doctor. We need to focus our efforts on building expertise that patients and their carers can tap into and help them remain as independent and self-managing as possible. This presents a new challenge for the NHS, which has often been described as a ‘Service for the Sick’. The challenge now is to not only provide health education and prevention as early as possible but also to keep people well for long as possible including those with quite complex diseases.

My guess is that this will take a lot more than structural change and will require all parts of the health and social care system to integrate their planning as well their care!

I, for one, have taken time to reflect on how what changes we need to make across the NHS to ensure that what happened at Mid Staffs can never happen again.

The final report is a huge document detailing the findings of Robert Francis QC and his team and listing 290 recommendations—but it shouldn’t deter us from reading it, as there are many lessons that need to be learned.

The failings uncovered at Mid Staffordshire Hospital led to horrific and sometimes tragic incidents for patients and their families. As a former nurse and now a Chief Executive of a NHS Trust, the details in the report made very difficult reading in places.

At Chelsea and Westminster, we have been encouraging everyone to read the report and the 290 recommendations, and consider how the report impacts on their role in the NHS. We have been holding discussion sessions with staff to talk about the implications for us and our hospital. I, and other Directors, have led these events and we will be feeding back to the Board as part of our Francis review.

One of the central themes of the report was the need for “a fundamental change in culture”. We have worked very hard at Chelsea and Westminster to embed our four values—respectful, kind, excellent and safe—and will continue to look at how we can do more. Of course Francis points to a need for systemic change across the NHS infrastructure, from the ward to the Department of Health.

Our staff have told us that culture is hard to define. Everyone wants to do their best for our patients but at times this translates into pressure to make sure we are always performing well. The Executive Team and I will be looking at this and all the other feedback in detail and reporting back to staff.

The key thing for us to grasp, at whatever level of the system we work in, is that culture is a collective consciousness in which everyone has a part to play. Failure is never the fault of one person or one group—we all have a responsibility here and I feel very strongly that our work together in this area will be as important to the patient as anything we do as individuals.

Most of us spend a high proportion of our day at work. It is easy to let work stress you out or worry you. When you work in a hospital, decisions you make at work can save a life or change someone’s life forever—or even both.

Having one night a year to celebrate the achievements of our staff is just a small token gesture to thank them for everything that they do. Nominations are now open for our annual Star Awards. These awards are to recognise staff who go the extra mile and make a real difference. They are for both frontline and behind-the-scenes staff so it is not just for those who have direct patient contact, it could be someone in back office support who has really gone above and beyond to support their team.

If you have been a patient here, or have come to the hospital with a friend or relative, and feel you have been looked after a member of staff who really excelled, you can tell us about it and nominate them for a Patient Choice Star Award. There are also 15 award categories for staff to nominate colleagues. See the Star Awards page for information about all of our award categories.

I will also be presenting an award to a member of staff who I think has embraced the Trust values and represents everything that Chelsea and Westminster stands for. In my job, I get to meet every group of new ‘joiners’ to the organisation—doctors, nurses, therapists, laboratory staff, clerical and administration staff etc. It is always good to hear about their own experience of the NHS as a previous relative or patient themselves. More than anything, I want them to know in that first week and month of their joining the Trust that one thing matters above all and that is living by our values. I leave them with a thought that I want them to really think about and understand in our busy days and it is this:

“No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”

While I can’t claim to have crafted these wise words, they sum up for me what it is that matters most in our contact with people. The job description and the technical competence are vitally important but, what will matter even more, is the way in which we treat people and whether or not they felt valued in that encounter. That is the abiding memory people take with them and all of our staff have that opportunity practically every day—these awards are one way we recognise that spirit and endeavor in people making a difference in people’s lives.

Nominations close on 18 February so please take the time to complete a nomination form if there is a member of staff who has really shone to you. The awards ceremony takes place on the 18 April—keep an eye on our website to see if your nominated member of staff has been shortlisted for an award.

The continual rise in obesity continues to be a worrying trend for the NHS. In 2010, the proportion of obese adults was 26 per cent. It’s feared that could rise to more than 40% by 2035. The cost to us in health terms and financially is huge.

Estimates suggest that being overweight (BMI 25–30) reduces life expectancy by about three years, and being obese (BMI 30 or more) can reduce life expectancy by 10 years. While the cost to the NHS and the tax payer, of obesity and the health issues associated with being overweight, is around £5 billion each year. What we have to consider is ongoing costs to the health service if obesity is not tackled at the earliest possible opportunity.

The Trust has recently featured in two documentaries focusing on the issue of obesity and body image—the Channel 4 series Embarrassing Fat Bodies and Channel 5’s Botched Up Bodies, which looked at cases where the NHS has been asked to pick up the pieces when cosmetic surgery has gone wrong.

Chelsea and Westminster has specialised in weight loss surgery since 1993, with a dedicated team of surgeons, nurses, dieticians and more involved in the overall care of bariatric patients and has since earned a reputation as a centre of excellence.

Weight is not the only issue—obesity is also linked to an increased risk of diabetes, osteoarthritis, cancer and heart disease, which all require care, treatment and management.

The Department of Health recently launched its latest Change4Life campaign called Be Food Smart. The focus is to make the public think about the hidden fats, salt and sugar in everyday foods. There is a Food Smart Meal Mixer and apps for smartphones and tablets to make it as easy as possible for people to opt for healthier options.

The restaurant at Chelsea and Westminster is undergoing a major refurbishment next month. The menu is being completely redesigned at the same time and will feature lots of healthy, nutritional meal options.

No one can be forced to eat a balanced diet, but the key question is how are we going to reverse the current obesity trend? Will a combination of educational campaigns from the Government, awareness-raising television shows and a healthcare system with trained professionals be enough? The cost of failure is surely not something we want to consider.

Your views

I welcome your comments on my blog entries—you can give your feedback below.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to comment publicly, you can contact me via our Communications Manager Katie Drummond-Dunn at katiedd@chelwest.nhs.uk.

The NHS is going through substantial change both globally and locally in North West London. We need to ensure that we use the opportunities this change offers to us here at Chelsea and Westminster. In light of this we have launched a six-month strategic review of the Trust, which I am leading with support from the Strategy team.

This is a very challenging time for the NHS but also an exciting time with lots of opportunities to consider. Patient care and patient experience must continue to be the linchpin of everything we do as we move forward through an ever-changing healthcare environment.

The first big strategic milestone for the Trust in 2013 will be the outcome of the Shaping a healthier future consultation on proposed changes to NHS services in North West London. The Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts in North West London will make a decision on 19 February.

This year sees the Trust’s 20th anniversary. HM Queen Elizabeth II opened the hospital in May 1993. This year we will be celebrating our anniversary at our Open Day on Saturday 11 May. We will not only be looking back at the achievements of the Trust over the last 20 years but also looking forward to what we can achieve in the next 20 years.

The Open Day will have all the usual popular attractions as well as an area dedicated to our anniversary celebrations. There will be a gallery looking back at the last 20 years, a focus on the pioneering achievements from the last two decades, particularly in HIV, and a look to the future with tours of our new Diagnostic Centre and our plans for developments in our A&E department.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all staff who worked over Christmas and New Year and kept the hospital running smoothly for all of our patients. I hope everyone has a happy and healthy 2013.

Your views

I welcome your comments on my blog entries—you can give your feedback below.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to comment publicly, you can contact me via our Head of Communications Matt Akid at matthew.akid@chelwest.nhs.uk.

I would like to thank everyone whose hard work made the event possible, in particular Katie Drummond-Dunn and George Vasilopoulos from the Communications team, Governors Susan Maxwell and Wendie McWatters (who together wrapped more than 80 presents and became honorary elves in the process!), and many other staff – not least Trevor Post from our facilities contractors ISS who made a great Santa!

The Santa’s Grotto made by our contractors Norlands was a big hit with children and the live music organised by Hospital Arts (part of Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity) really helped make this a positive, feelgood evening.

And it was a privilege for us to welcome a group of Chelsea Pensioners from the Royal Hospital Chelsea who switched on the lights on our magnificent Christmas tree.

I would like to thank our Council of Governors whose funding made the ‘Christmas at Chelsea and Westminster’ event possible. It was a great success and I am sure that everyone who came along would hope it now becomes an annual celebration.

Before the Chelsea Pensioners switched on the Christmas tree lights to signal the start of the event, I presented our Friends Christmas Cheer Awards to staff who bring a cheerful, positive attitude to their work and who really live our Trust values of Safe, Excellent, Kind and Respectful.

We received more than 300 nominations for the Christmas Cheer Awards, for both teams and individual members of staff, and the winners included a wide range of clinical and non-clinical staff from across the hospital – doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, ward clerks, housekeepers, radiographers, physiotherapists and many more.

The spirit of these awards was exemplified by the Healthcare Assistants on David Erskine Ward. They were nominated by 18 of their colleagues who said: “An incredible team of healthcare assistants who work so very hard throughout the year, always with the biggest smiles on their faces. Agy, Jean, Lystra and Samjana are described by our patients as superstars.”

Congratulations to all the winners of the Christmas Cheer Awards and thank you for your efforts to provide the very best care for patients at Chelsea and Westminster.

I would like to thank all staff who are working over Christmas. Hospitals become very special places at Christmas for all sorts of reasons and one of those reasons is the dedication of our staff.

Best wishes to everyone for a happy and healthy Christmas, and I look forward to working with you all in 2013.

Your views

I welcome your comments on my blog entries—you can give your feedback below.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to comment publicly, you can contact me via our Head of Communications Matt Akid at matthew.akid@chelwest.nhs.uk.

Our focus has been on the future and how we work together to use the best of everyone's experience and expertise in navigating some very challenging issues in healthcare over the next 3–5 years and beyond.

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 makes it clear that our Governors, who include elected representatives of patients, members of the public and staff, have a central role in ensuring the Board of Directors is addressing its responsibilities in how we deal with these important issues and decisions.

Our Governors bring a wealth of expertise and life experience to these considerations and are a balance of elected representatives of patients, members of the public and staff and appointed representatives of partner organisations.

As with all of these things you are never starting from where you would like to and the dynamics of events define what is possible more than lofty words.

We need to make sense of the biggest changes ever attempted in the NHS since its birth in 1948. It's been a really rewarding experience to work with and listen to so many talented and dedicated people addressing the issue of how our Trust can provide solutions to these challenges in the years ahead.

The spectre of an ageing population, living longer and consuming more health care resource at a time when the ratio of working people to non-working people is dramatically shifting downward, is a taxing problem for an economy in long term nil growth.

In 1950 the ratio of people aged 20–64 compared with the over-65s was 7:1. In 2011 it was 4:1 and by 2050 it will be 2:1.

This is an international phenomenon and so we are not alone in confronting these issues. It’s important we take time in our organisations to consider the change required to meet the demands ahead. Our central question and quest in all of this is "How do we improve the patient experience as we move forward?".

It won't be easy, of course, and it will require us to keep a steady hand on the helm as we steer a course so that the public trust us.

We will be doing more of this over the coming weeks with our primary care and community services partners as well as our clinicians, managers and Governors.

I have been very heartened by the level of debate we have had and the spirit of enterprise and enthusiasm in which it is taking place. What comes across very clearly is the pride that staff, Governors and Directors have in Chelsea and Westminster and what it means to say they are a part of it.

That's because they see it as 'something special' and that it most certainly is. Can we make it even more special so that all our patients have an excellent experience at Chelsea and Westminster?

It reminds me of that well quoted phrase that seems very appropriate right now—"Problems are merely brilliantly disguised opportunities". I am sure someone will kindly remind me of that quote when our opportunities seem to be overwhelming me!

‘Christmas at Chelsea and Westminster’

On Monday (17 December) from 5–7pm we will be holding our first ‘Christmas at Chelsea and Westminster’ community event and I am delighted that a group of Chelsea Pensioners from the Royal Hospital Chelsea have accepted our invitation to come and switch on the lights on our Christmas tree.

We will have lots of attractions and activities for children, including a Santa’s Grotto, live music organised by Hospital Arts (part of Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity) and we have invited charities that support our hospital to take part in the event.

It has been made possible by funding from our Council of Governors and I would like to thank them for their support and commitment.

The public part of the event starts at 5pm on Monday but I would encourage all staff to join me at 4pm when I will be presenting this year’s Christmas Cheer Awards and also revealing the winners of the Best Decorated Ward, Unit or Department competition.

Both of these staff recognition schemes are made possible by funding from the Friends of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and I am very grateful for their contribution which enables us to recognise the contribution of our outstanding staff.

And finally, I would like to thank in advance all those staff who will be working over the forthcoming festive period to ensure that we continue to provide high quality care to those patients who are unable to be at home over Christmas.

No one would choose to be a patient in hospital over Christmas but I know that you will do all you can to make this time as pleasant as possible for our patients.

Your views

I welcome your comments on my blog entries—you can give your feedback below.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to comment publicly, you can contact me via our Head of Communications Matt Akid at matthew.akid@chelwest.nhs.uk.

The event was hosted jointly by myself and Mark Norbury, Chief Executive of Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity, to generate ideas and understand how we can foster innovation more effectively.

It was also an opportunity for staff who work in very different clinical specialties to share their thoughts and experiences with each other in a way that doesn’t tend to happen that often in a busy hospital with lots of conflicting demands on people’s time.

And so the group included doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and managers from areas including HIV and sexual health, maternity, medicine, surgery and theatres.

We asked everyone coming to the event to write a brief note beforehand outlining why they believe that clinical innovation is critical to our patients’ future.

It is essential that clinicians are at the forefront of this kind of thought leadership so that innovation is clinically driven with the potential benefits for patients at the heart of this activity.

It is also important that innovation is open to everyone, not just those involved in research. Solving problems and devising new ways of working is equally an innovative pursuit.

I am looking forward to building on the constructive discussions we had at the workshop last week and taking the next steps on this journey which could include setting up a Health Innovation Fund at Chelsea and Westminster so watch this space.

Our Directors’ Den competition is a great opportunity for clinical and non-clinical staff to put forward their ideas to improve services.

The deadline for entries is this Friday (30 November) and I would encourage any member of staff who has an innovative idea to complete an entry form. Forms are available to download from the intranet.

Winning entries from last year’s inaugural Directors’ Den competition were given funding totalling £200,000 and these ideas are now becoming reality.

They include everything from the recruitment of doulas who support women in labour to the development of a mandatory training video for non-clinical staff.

I look forward to seeing this year’s Directors’ Den entries.

Your views

I welcome your comments on my blog entries—you can give your feedback below.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to comment publicly, you can contact me via our Head of Communications Matt Akid at matthew.akid@chelwest.nhs.uk.

Without going into the details (you may remember I covered End of Life Care in my last blog), it just goes to underline how much we do our work under the constant gaze of the public in one form or another.

We can expect to be constantly tested on our commitment to the principles of the NHS Constitution and the rights enshrined within it. We should have no complaint or concern about that.

You might wonder why I raise what seem to be three unrelated issues in this blog entry and at one level I would accept they each have their own context. Beyond that though is the more fundamental issue of ‘trust’.

Our patients need to know that they can trust us and there’s no doubt that the public at large feels the NHS is and should be an institution that can be trusted.

However, trust can be so easily undermined and how things are reported in the media can greatly influence our perspective on such important values.

I believe that our patients can trust us whether they are paying for their treatment or not, whether they are dying or waiting for the result of an important diagnostic test.

Our slogan during our recent campaign to keep A&E at Chelsea and Westminster, Safe in our hands, is what we are about and our values of Safe, Kind, Excellent and Respectful were chosen by staff, the people we put our trust in.

Of course, that doesn’t mean we never make a mistake or that we can be complacent about our intention to do right by the people who put their trust in us. It simply means that getting things right in the field of patient care is a human endeavour that takes constant vigilance, practice and commitment.

As I visit our wards and departments I see no shortage of those qualities and I am conscious of the enormous personal effort people put into their jobs.

It’s all of our jobs—and I include the wider NHS in this—to ensure that our actions are not misinterpreted and that our trust isn’t undermined.

Your views

I welcome your comments on my blog entries—you can give your feedback below.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to comment publicly, you can contact me via our Head of Communications Matt Akid at matthew.akid@chelwest.nhs.uk.

Given my recent move from Liverpool and the fact that I have known and worked with Professor John Ellershaw and his colleagues who developed the pathway, it has caused me to reflect on things.

Have we got this wrong? Have so many hospitals and health institutions internationally adopted something that is fundamentally flawed?

In tracing back the origin of the LCP it is clear that the pathway is a model of care. It is not a treatment, it is a framework developed to tailor care for the last days and hours of someone’s life.

The decision to use it should always be taken by a multi-disciplinary team taking everyone’s view about the best care management into account. Most importantly, where possible it must involve the patient, their family, and if necessary an advocate when the patient has no family or may not be able to communicate effectively.

The LCP is a model built around the best practice of hospice care developed by the Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute in Liverpool. There are no hard and fast rules about drugs, fluid therapy or diet and it does not replace clinical judgement—it is there to support it.

When I read some of the press stories and the language that is used it is clear to me that the media and perhaps the public have misunderstood the whole point of the pathway and its intention.

Its intention is to aid a peaceful death where there is no prospect of a recovery and death is the expected outcome. It’s a means of ensuring good communication and consistency of care and treatment so that everyone knows what is going on.

It underlines to me though how much we are still in our infancy in discussing such emotive issues as death and somehow a peaceful death can be viewed by the media as a failure in care rather than a success.

This week I received a letter from a grateful family whose relative had been cared for within the framework of the LCP. They wrote to say thank you and to say how much they felt involved and cared for.

As always it’s not the tool or the instrument, it’s the hands it is in and the care with which it is used that matters most. We still have a lot to do in getting this right for patients and their families.

I hope that we haven’t been party to the long-term damage of an integrated pathway for end of life care that promotes difficult discussions and decisions in a compassionate environment. It will be our great loss if that is the case and we must ensure our practice stands up to scrutiny.

Your views

I welcome your comments on my blog entries—you can give your feedback below.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to comment publicly, you can contact me via our Head of Communications Matt Akid at matthew.akid@chelwest.nhs.uk.

‘Quality for patients and staff’

Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of the NHS, has stressed on a number of occasions that a “relentless focus on quality” must be the “organising principle” of the health service.

So what does this mean in practice?

As with all things worthwhile, it’s easier said than done! The pursuit of excellence becomes a journey rather than the destination itself. Embarking on the journey and learning the art and science behind continuous improvement is where the personal development begins. It’s our opportunity not only to do better for our patients but also to do better for ourselves.

So how can all staff make this a reality for patients at Chelsea and Westminster?

This week we have launched a new campaign called ‘Quality for patients and staff’ to support staff in co-ordinating all the different aspects of quality.

The campaign has a recognisable logo which explicitly links quality and safety to our values to ensure that patients and staff are at the heart of everything we do.

We will be focusing on a different theme each week which will be communicated to all staff every Monday morning through the Daily Noticeboard email bulletin.

I would encourage all staff to discuss the quality theme of the week in ward meetings, handovers, clinical rounds and in all staff meetings.

The theme for this week is reporting and learning from incidents. This is a key area because, although we know from patient surveys that the majority of patients have a positive experience at Chelsea and Westminster, we need to ensure that everyone has excellent, high quality care.

It’s not just about clinical care because we know from complaints and other feedback from patients and relatives that other factors including patient letters, the attitude of staff, standards of cleanliness and the quality of food have a major impact.

These themes of the week will continue throughout the year so that what Sir David Nicholson calls the “relentless focus on quality” becomes second nature and part of everything that we all do every day.

High quality planning

This year’s planning process to develop our future plans and service developments for the coming year has an explicit focus on quality.

I would like to encourage all staff to get involved in this important activity to put forward your ideas to improve services for patients by delivering care more efficiently and effectively.

Divisional directors are putting together plans to ensure that all staff in their areas have the opportunity to be involved.

We will also be relaunching our Directors’ Den competition in early November when we will be inviting innovative ideas from staff.

Last year’s inaugural Directors’ Den demonstrated that our talented staff are a rich source of innovations and new initiatives.

The Directors’ Den judging panel allocated more than £200,000 of funding to 5 schemes ranging from a new Chelsea Children’s Hospital website for children and parents to improvements in the training of staff in ultrasound-guided biopsy skills.

This year’s Directors’ Den will be launched on Friday 2 November and I will be returning to this topic in a future blog entry.

Your views

I welcome your comments on my blog entries—you can give your feedback below.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to comment publicly, you can contact me via our Head of Communications Matt Akid at matthew.akid@chelwest.nhs.uk.

I would like to thank all patients, local residents and staff who have joined the ‘Safe in our hands’ campaign to maintain Chelsea and Westminster’s status as a major hospital with a full A&E, Maternity Unit and children’s services during the Shaping a healthier future public consultation on changes to NHS services in North West London.

The consultation ends on Monday 8 October and therefore our campaign is also drawing to a close so it’s a good time to reflect on its impact.

More than 11,000 people have completed a ‘Safe in our hands’ postcard to register their support for the consultation’s recommended Option A which would ensure Chelsea and Westminster keeps major hospital status with a full A&E and other services.

I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to complete a postcard. Thank you for supporting your hospital.

The campaign has been co-ordinated by our Communications team in the hospital but its success has been due to the involvement of so many people including our Governors, members of the Friends of Chelsea and Westminster, volunteers, staff, and even local residents who have contacted us to offer their help.

For those of you who do not know much about their role, the Governors are the elected representatives of our 15,000 Foundation Trust members - patients, members of the public living locally, and staff.

They give up their time to get involved in the hospital and their input is incredibly valuable because they ensure the voice of patients and staff is heard.

During the public consultation our Governors set up a petition in support of the ‘Safe in our hands’ campaign which has been signed by more than 6,600 people. I would to like to thank personally the Governors for the role they have played during the consultation and look forward to working with them on our future plans.

Public sector organisations rely on public support for their very existence and we have all seen examples where the public has withdrawn this goodwill, and the serious consequences this has had for those organisations.

It has been heartening to see the level of support for Chelsea and Westminster during the public consultation and we must all work together to ensure we provide high quality care that is worthy of this support.

An employer of choice

Our hospital is only as good as the staff who work here and so to be a hospital of choice we have to be an employer of choice for staff. That’s particularly true in London where there are so many hospitals and other healthcare organisations.

I am delighted that last week we were named as the best employer in the UK for carers and eldercare, and were shortlisted among the best employers for flexible working, at the annual Top Employers for Working Families Awards.

These awards are open to all employers in the public and private sectors and so we were up against some of the biggest organisations in the UK—for example, BT and the London School of Economics were shortlisted for the carers award.

I would like to thank staff in HR, and especially Amber Payne, for their work in supporting our staff who have caring responsibilities.

And I would encourage all staff to have their say on life at Chelsea and Westminster by completing the NHS National Staff Survey. We can only make improvements to the working lives of our staff if we get your feedback

The importance of clinical leadership

I was really impressed by the quality of presentations given at an event in the hospital last week by nurses and midwives who recently completed a 9-month clinical leadership programme.

The leadership programme was developed to equip them with the skills and knowledge to deliver the highest quality of patient care in their areas and to lead their teams to deliver the highest quality of patient care.

As part of the programme, which consisted of 8 workshops which a wide range of Trust staff delivered, the nurses and midwives took forward practical, work-based projects which they presented on the final day of the programme last week.

It was an inspiring event and I hope those staff feel enthused and empowered by the clinical leadership programme. There is no doubt that innovation is alive and well in the NHS and it’s great to see our clinical staff feeling able to make change happen.

Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity

This week I attended the launch of Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity’s Arts for Life programme hosted by the Serpentine Gallery. We are grateful to Julia Peyton-Jones, Director of the gallery, for providing such an inspirational setting for this launch.

Most of all though I just wanted to thank a number of people from the charity—Christian Brodie (Chairman), Mark Norbury (Chief Executive) and Susan Hayden (Trustee). The work of the charity and their focus in this campaign of supporting our bid to be a national research centre for burns care and to also help fund research into premature birth are just two examples of the great work they do in helping us answer the questions that make new treatments and better outcomes for patients possible.

You can find out more about their work and the way they bring art to life in the Trust by visiting their website www.chelwestcharity.org.uk.

Your views

I welcome your comments on my blog entries—you can give your feedback below.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to comment publicly, you can contact me via our Head of Communications Matt Akid at matthew.akid@chelwest.nhs.uk.

I would like to thank all staff, Governors and patients for making me feel so welcome since I joined Chelsea and Westminster earlier this month.

During my first two weeks as the hospital’s new Chief Executive I have joined the Chairman in welcoming a number of local politicians including MPs, Council leaders and councillors to the hospital.

As part of our ‘Safe in our hands’ campaign we have invited them to come in to see our A&E, Maternity Unit and children’s services and to explain to them the importance of keeping A&E at Chelsea and Westminster during the current Shaping a healthier future public consultation.

Staff who have met these politicians have been excellent ambassadors for the Trust and I know our visitors have been impressed by not only the quality of the patient environment but also the professionalism and expertise of our clinicians.

I would like to thank Sandra Smith-Gordon, one of our elected public Governors, who has joined many of these visits wearing a ‘Safe in our hands’ T-shirt and providing excellent support to the Trust and our message. Also thank you to Dr Mike Anderson, our Medical Director, who continues to provide invaluable input to these visits and the consultation process.

People power

In my first blog entry I talked about the fact that our hospital means a lot to not only the staff who work here but also our patients and people living in the local community that we serve.

The number of Foundation Trust members who attended our Annual Members’ Meeting last Thursday demonstrates how much people care about their hospital.

There was a great sense of warmth for me from the people who attended and pride in our staff. The enthusiasm for the Trust was palpable and a great testimony to the hard work of all staff.

I want to thank the clinical staff whose presentations ensured that the annual meeting finished on a real high note.

Our Chief Nurse Therese Davis introduced Matron Mitch Haines, Ward Sister Lesley-Anne Marke and Maternity Matron Cherry Brennan who talked passionately about how the introduction of ‘comfort rounds’ on our wards is improving care for patients.

And a patient, Christopher Coe, was an outstanding advocate for the effectiveness of a new approach to the treatment of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

The most important thing about any annual meeting is that the people we serve know how well we serve them and, without being complacent, I have no doubt that was what people would have taken away from last Thursday’s event.

There was also great public support for the hospital at a public meeting held at Kensington Town Hall last Tuesday about Shaping a healthier future.

A couple of hundred local residents, including many of our elected patient and public Governors, were in attendance and a number of them shared their experiences of the life-saving care provided by staff at Chelsea and Westminster.

All of which goes to show that our hospital is firmly rooted in our local community, as it should be.

What next?

I am out and about getting to meet people and seeing how things work. This includes meeting chief executives from neighbouring NHS trusts and getting an understanding of some of the key networks in which Chelsea and Westminster plays a big part. Over the coming weeks I will be going through a lot of these issues with colleagues and reviewing the agenda for the next steps in the journey that our hospital is on. I will of course keep you updated.

Have your say to keep A&E at Chelsea and Westminster

The Shaping a healthier future public consultation is  due to end on 8 October and therefore I would encourage all staff, patients and relatives to back our ‘Safe in our hands’ campaign to keep A&E at Chelsea and Westminster.

You can complete the public consultation response form, complete a ‘Safe in our hands’ postcard in the hospital or online, and sign the Governors petition.

Thank you for supporting your hospital.

Your views

I welcome your comments on my blog entries—you can give your feedback below.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to comment publicly, you can contact me via our Head of Communications Matt Akid matthew.akid@chelwest.nhs.uk.

My appointment was approved by the Council of Governors—which includes elected representatives of patients, members of the public and staff—in May and since then I have been serving out my notice period as Chief Executive of Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust.

I am delighted to finally get started here at Chelsea and Westminster. I am very fortunate to be building on the strong foundations provided by the hard work of all staff under the leadership of Heather Lawrence who spent 12 successful years at Chelsea and Westminster as Chief Executive.

I am looking forward to meeting staff, Governors and patients over the next few weeks as I find my feet. My induction programme includes as much time as possible spent in the hospital and at our off-site clinics so I can meet and talk to staff and patients on wards and in departments.

Experience has taught me that the insight of frontline staff in any healthcare organisation is the touchstone for how we can improve what we do. My inclination is always to get alongside staff to understand what they do, what makes them proud and feel good about their job, and what frustrates them in their work.

I want to know how we can realise our ambitions together and what I and the Trust Board can do, working with staff, to effect meaningful change where we can improve our services.

My philosophy is that we all have a part to play. Leadership, which I view as part of everyone’s job, is critical to us improving the experience of patients and families. I am looking forward to becoming a member of the Chelsea and Westminster team.

I do believe ‘we are better together’ and certainly I will be looking to take an inclusive approach towards the development of the Trust with the active participation of all staff, whatever their title or job role.

Experience has also taught me that a Chief Executive has to balance the demands of both the internal life of the hospital and the external world around us. Much is happening in the NHS in London and nationally and it will be important for myself and the Executive team to play our full part to ensure that Chelsea and Westminster continues to be a successful organisation.

My first impressions as an ‘outsider’ applying for the job of Chief Executive were that Chelsea and Westminster is a hospital that means a lot to not only the staff who work here but also our patients and our local community.

More than 10,000 patient and public Foundation Trust members have taken the time and effort to ‘join’ us so they can become more involved in the life of the hospital.

And literally hundreds of people give up their time to give something back to the hospital, whether as volunteers, as member of the Friends, or through their involvement with the various charities associated with Chelsea and Westminster.

Our strength as a hospital comes from the support of all these people and I am very keen that we continue to develop ever stronger links with our key stakeholders so that we are firmly rooted at the heart of our community.

Our values

More than 900 people took part in the ‘Who do you think WE are?’ consultation exercise to choose the Trust’s values earlier this year.

Our values of Safe, Kind, Excellent and Respectful are the foundation for the care that we provide for patients and we will be working hard over the next few months to bring these four words to life, turning theory into practice and encouraging all staff to live our values to improve the experience of all our patients.

‘Safe in our hands’—help us to keep A&E at Chelsea and Westminster

The strong link between Chelsea and Westminster and the community we serve has never been more important than at this time when the future of the hospital is at stake.

I would encourage all staff, patients and relatives to back our ‘Safe in our hands’ campaign to keep A&E and other life-saving services at Chelsea and Westminster by voting for Option A in the Shaping a healthier future public consultation. There are various ways that you can make a difference.

Firstly, a weblink to the public consultation response form, and suggested answers to help you complete the form in support of Chelsea and Westminster, are available in the ‘Safe in our hands’ section of our website. Hard copy consultation documents and response forms are available from Main Reception or the M-PALS office in the hospital.

Secondly, you can also get involved by ticking the box for Option A on a ‘Safe in our hands’ postcard. These are available throughout the hospital, simply hand in completed postcards at Main Reception or M-PALS, or you can complete an online postcard.

Finally, Patient and Public representatives on our Council of Governors have launched an online petition in support of the ‘Safe in our hands’ campaign—you can sign the petition online.

Thank you for taking the time to support your hospital.

Your views

I welcome your comments on my blog entries—you can give your feedback below.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to comment publicly, you can contact me via our Head of Communications Matt Akid matthew.akid@chelwest.nhs.uk.