Hospital chief executive marks first year
The opening of a £15 million new theatre complex and the care and compassion of hospital staff have been the highlights of the first year in office of the chief executive of the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital.
Mark Brandreth was appointed at the specialist, orthopaedic hospital near Oswestry in January last year as the hospital faces an investigation by the Government watchdog body, Monitor, over surgery waiting times.
He said he was confident that the hospital was moving forward and said that at the end of March 91.5 per cent of English patients had had treatment within the 18 week target. The trust had hoped to reach 92 per cent.
"We only just missed our target but, if we look back to a year ago we have improved by six to seven per cent," he said.
"The opening of our £15 million theatre block has helped, as has the recent appointment of eight new consultants. Activity has increased and we will keep on top of the figures."
He said a high point of his first year had to be the opening of the new theatre block.
"What I have been most struck with at the Orthopaedic is its friendliness," Mr Brandreth said.
"I have never worked anywhere before where there have been grandmother, mother and daughter all employed in the same hospital, that is something very special - and this is a very special place.
"The compassion and care that is shown by our staff to patients, and to each other comes from that closeness that is felt here."
"People want to work at this hospital and patients tell us that what we are doing is right. There are many patients that have to be with us for some time - for those in the spinal injuries centre it is their home for months at a time."
Mr Brandreth said that was why it was so important that patient care and details such as hospital food were so important.
Patients in the spinal injury wards chatted to the chief executive as he popped into the centre to mark his first year in office.
David Edwards, 24, from Birmingham, suffered his life changing injury on December 28 last year in an accident at work, while Matt Drake, 32, a member of the armed forces, from south Devon, was injured in a dune buggy accident in the Middle East. He arrived in Shropshire for treatment on January 3.
"The staff in the unit are all specialists and so know exactly how to treat spinal cord injured people like myself," Mr Edwards said.
"When you are in a general hospital straight after your accident you may have one in 10 staff who know what to do with a spine injured patient. Here every single one of the staff know how to manage you."
