To receive a presentation by Dame Jacqueline Docherty (Chief Executive, West Middlesex University Hospital) and Tom Hayhoe (Chairman, West Middlesex University Hospital).

Dame Jacqueline Docherty (Chief Executive, West Middlesex University Hospital), Tom Hayhoe (Chairman, West Middlesex University Hospital) and Andrew Murphy (Project Manager, West Middlesex University Hospital) gave the Committee a Powerpoint presentation entitled “Update June 2011” (this has now been added to the Council’s website alongside the Agenda pack).

The following key points were highlighted for particular attention:

-          All savings proposals had been risk-assessed. No proposal would be taken that put patients at risk. The Trust was committed to “Quality first, savings second”.

-          The use of agency staff had largely been eradicated by filling vacancies, leading to a substantial saving.

-          Two wards had been closed, and a third would also close, due to the reduction in length-of-stay.

-          West Middlesex was one of the first organisations in England to pass all NHSLA standards.

-          The feedback from the Patient Survey had improved only by a very small margin, but the response rate was very low, thereby increasing the proportion of negative comments. The Trust was looking to see how more feedback could be elicited from patients on a more regular basis.

-          There was a need to improve the patient experience.

-          The Trust was confident that it would resolve its historic debt. It had broken even in 2010/11.

In response to questions and comments from Members, the following information was given:

-          The Maternity Unit was the Hospital’s “jewel in the crown”: it carried out 4,700 deliveries per annum. In addition, a new Birth Centre had opened two years previously and had done 2,000 deliveries; there was a low Caesarean rate; and Maternity Services had passed level 3 with flying colours, one of the first so to do.

-          The Hospital had signed up to carbon reduction and was looking at waste management. A new bus service was being negotiated and a turning area was being installed. In addition, there had been a modest increase in the threshold for staff parking.

-          The Trust was looking at ways of maximising the use of the estate. For example, it was considering bringing GP practices on to the site in order to fill up under-utilised space.

-          The Trust continued to look for a partner to share the site and thereby enable it to get Foundation status. The Trust had demonstrated that it could break even. Slippage in the timetable would leave more time to resolve the outstanding issues. Reorganisation in the North West Sector might lead to more services coming to West Middlesex.

-          Although the PFI was one of the reasons that West Middlesex had a high level of historic debt, it was not the only one. The PFI burden was not as severe as it was for St Bartholomew’s, for example.

-          It made sense for West Middlesex to have a first-class A+E facility that serviced Hounslow, Richmond and part of Ealing. West Middlesex had a brand new building, and it should not be the first to see the wrecker’s ball.

-          With regard to MRSA infections, an upper limit of four had been set for 2010, but there were five, which was an improvement on previous years.

-          The target for falls had been met.

-          The Hospital had purchased a new CT scanner.

-          Reablement was working quite well.

-          The Hospital had invested in a software package, “Real Time”, in order to help with discharge planning.

-          The only agency nurses that continued to be engaged were specialist nurses.  No nurse would be made redundant, trained or untrained.

-          The Trust had been much more aggressive about making savings. For instance, bottled water was no longer provided at meetings or on the wards.