Ed Smith, Chairman of NHS Improvement, and Jacqueline McKenna, Director of Nursing for Professional Leadership, visited Tunbridge Wells Hospital yesterday (28 December) to see staff in action over the Christmas period.
They were shown around parts of the hospital by Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust Chairman, Tony Jones; Deputy Chief Executive, Jim Lusby; Chief Operating Officer, Angela Gallagher and Chief Nurse, Avey Bhatia.
During their visit, they spoke to staff in the Accident and Emergency department, Maternity, Acute Medical Unit and on some of the wards.
Ed Smith, said, “Jacqueline McKenna and I were delighted to meet the hard working staff at Tunbridge Wells Hospital who were on duty between Christmas and the New Year. Staff are working hard over a challenging period and were still smiling. We spoke about learning and spreading good practice across the trust from the little things that work in one area to the wider community.
“I would like to thank NHS staff for their efforts over the Christmas period, which I know were important in ensuring that patients and the public were well served.”
Tony Jones said: “We were pleased to be able to show Ed and Jacqueline round Tunbridge Wells Hospital while it was business as usual. They were able to speak with staff and see how everything runs on a typical day over the Christmas period, and were impressed with our facilities and the caring attitude of the staff they met.”
583 people attended A&E at Tunbridge Wells Hospital over the three day period of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Ends
Notes to editors:
Ed Smith
Ed Smith is the Chairman of NHS Improvement, Non-Executive Director for NHS Property Services, and the Lead Non-Executive Director for the Department for Transport.
Ed is also the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council at the University of Birmingham, a Member of the Competition and Markets Authority panel and is a Member of Council and Treasurer of Chatham House.
Jacqueline McKenna
Jacqueline leads NHS Improvement work to develop strong nursing and midwifery leaders of the future and provide leadership of improvement programmes, including end of life care, patient experience and infection prevention and control.
Jacqueline was previously deputy director of nursing at the NHS Trust Development Authority. She was awarded a MBE in 2010 for services to nursing and health care.
NHS Improvement
NHS Improvement is responsible for overseeing foundation trusts, NHS trusts and independent providers. We offer the support these providers need to give patients consistently safe, high quality, compassionate care within local health systems that are financially sustainable. By holding providers to account and, where necessary, intervening, we help the NHS to meet its short-term challenges and secure its future.
NHS Improvement is the operational name for the organisation that brings together Monitor, NHS Trust Development Authority, Patient Safety, the National Reporting and Learning System, the Advancing Change team and the Intensive Support Teams.