r CEO report July 2024
Chief Executive’s Report
1.0 National and system update
- This month started with a General Election and we look forward to working with both re-elected and newly elected Members of Parliament in service of our local residents. I have already had opportunity alongside partner organisations in Buckinghamshire to meet with all our MPs to discuss our areas of focus, challenges, and plans for the future of health and care in the county.
1.2 We were invited to present to the Buckinghamshire Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee on 11 July 2024 to share an update on performance, quality and people, as well as update on work in recent months to improve our maternity services. Our reports and the webcasts of the meeting are available online here
1.3 Earlier this month we were pleased to be invited to attend the launch of the Healthwatch Bucks Annual Report 2023/24, which is available online here. Amongst other projects, in recent months Healthwatch Bucks has been supporting our clinical accreditation programme and we look forward to continuing to partner with them in the year ahead.
1.4 We continue to experience issues with water in some parts of Wycombe Hospital, and I would like to thank colleagues and the public for their patience and understanding whilst precautionary measures or alternative sources of water are in place. Further detail is available on our website here, where information will continue to be updated as the situation progresses.
1.5 We would like to reassure patients and the public that our Trust was not directly affected by the recent major global IT outage and patients should continue to use our services as normal.
2.0 Outstanding care
2.1 Key performance data are presented in the Integrated Performance Report with supporting narrative. In planned care, we remain on track to deliver the national target of having no patients waiting more than 65 weeks by the end of September, and we are working closely with partners in the Acute Provider Collaborative (NHS trusts within the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & Berkshire West Integrated Care System providing acute hospital services) to manage waiting times across our respective areas. Community waiting list data has been reinstated in the Report following a process of data cleansing – recognising there are still more people waiting longer than we would wish, the data show significant progress made to reduce these numbers.
2.2 Our productivity data will also be of particular interest to the Board – the latest data show achievement of c.4.5% improvement in 2023/24 despite challenges including Industrial Action and periods where some theatres were closed due to estates issues. This year we continue our efforts to improve our efficiency and reduce the length of time patients are waiting for their care.
2.3 Part of this involves improvements in our digital maturity and how we are using digital technology to advance patient care, experience and how we manage the business of our hospitals and services. Most recently a new ‘Patient FLOW’ system went live in respiratory and the respiratory support unit. This is a digital patient whiteboard to help ensure data are captured and updated in real time to support the efficient flow of patients through the hospital. My thanks to colleagues working on these wards for embracing a new way of working and helping to refine the further rollout of this system.
2.4 At Month 3, we reported a deficit financial position of £10.8m against a plan of £9.5 deficit – this £1.3m being due to the impact of additional cost and lost income related to industrial action in June 2024. We have also delivered £7.2m of our £32.8m capital plan for the year. Further detail is available through the monthly finance report.
3.0 Healthy communities
3.1 In 2019 the Pharmacy team at BHT formed a Commonwealth Partnership for Antimicrobial Stewardship with Nottingham Trent University (UK) and Makerere University (Uganda) supported by grant funding from the UK Department for Health and Social Care’s Fleming Fund. The project focused on raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance. BHT colleagues provided antimicrobial stewardship and pharmacy expertise to build capacity in Wakiso District, Uganda. Since then the Partnership has been strengthened following receipt of further funding and there is now a Centre of Excellence on antimicrobial stewardship in central Uganda. On 8 July 2024, we welcomed several colleagues from Uganda on a visit to BHT, who joined antimicrobial stewardship ward rounds in our hospital and met with our Chief Pharmacist and the Executive team to discuss learning opportunities for both partners and the benefits of the project.
3.2 We were delighted to welcome Matthew Everitt, Service Director for Business Intelligence & Community Support at Buckinghamshire Council to speak with senior leaders across the Trust about the Council’s levelling up programme, Opportunity Bucks. The Board will be familiar with this programme, and it was great to see the range of activities taking place across the county to help tackle the inequalities that exist.
3.3 Our Adult Community Healthcare team based in Wycombe has featured in a recent Queen’s Nursing Institute report. It is wonderful to have their work featured in this national publication alongside fantastic images by professional photographer Kate Stanwell’s images.
3.4 I would like to formally thank the Amersham & Chesham Community Board which has awarded funding to support the wonderful wildflower meadow at our Amersham Community Hospital site. The environments at our hospital and community sites are important elements, not only for enhancing the experience of our patients and visitors, but also our colleagues coming to work.
4.0 Great place to work
4.1 Bridget O’Kelly, our Chief People Officer, joined the BHT Belonging Staff Network and colleagues at Pride in London on Saturday 29 June. It was a wonderful day and great to see the Trust represented – thank you to the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Charitable Fund for funding the spaces.
4.2 Huge congratulations to Randolph Alburo, Deputy Charge Nurse at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, for being shortlisted for the Ann Shuttleworth Rising Star Award in the 2024 Nursing Times Awards. This is an incredible achievement, and a reflection of Randolph’s dedication and passion to nursing, his colleagues and his patients.
4.3 South Asian Heritage Month started on 18 July 2024, and we look forward to celebrating with colleagues, friends and family at a T20 Cricket Match on 11 August.
4.4 Finally, we look forward to welcoming local residents to our next Open Day and Annual General Meeting on Saturday 14 September 2024 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. As well as opportunities to meet just some of the variety of teams and partner organisations we are lucky to have at our Trust, there will once again be behind the scenes tours, and lots of careers information and talks.
Appendices
Appendix 1 – CARE value awards July 24
Appendix 2 – Executive Management Committee & Transformation Board_July 2024