Hello all,

Sorry this didn’t come out on Friday but what a fantastic week last week was! Despite the huge challenges and the ambulance strike that took place on Wednesday 11 January, we made remarkable progress. We were able to stand down from a critical incident to business continuity thanks to your continued great work and focus on discharging our patients in a timely and safe way and on Thursday we were the best performing Trust in the Southeast region in relation to the 4hr standard where 88% of patients in ED were seen within 4 hours. This week we need to capitalise on the momentum we have created, continue to improve in order to really focus on our cancer and elective work as there are lots of patients on our waiting list awaiting surgery, a procedure or a diagnostic test.

I am very proud of the achievements last week. Whilst there is more to do. It’s important to keep up this momentum and acknowledge how well we’ve done! Thank you for being so good at your respective jobs.

As part of our ongoing wellbeing drive, there is a new interactive financial guide for staff to use. The clickable guide has key information about eligibility and what is needed to make an application at your fingertips. A reminder that the next SASH social club will be held this evening between 6-9pm in the atrium, PGEC, East Surrey Hospital. You can meet other people, join mindfulness sessions, pick up wellbeing information and play games, alongside a host of other things.

Last week we said farewell to Char Fletcher, general manager for cancer and diagnostics who had been at SASH for 14 of years. Char was a pleasure to work with and whilst we will miss her I wish her all the best in her new role as associate director of critical care and therapies at St George’s Hospital.

A group of people posing for a photoDescription automatically generatedLast week also marked 22 years since the first cohort of 30 nurses from the Philippines arrived in the UK to work at what was then East Surrey and Crawley Hospital. I am so honoured that many of them have chosen to build their careers with us. I want to acknowledge the invaluable contribution they make and take this moment to reflect on the importance of providing a friendly and supportive environment for everyone who joins us at SASH.

Work on our car parks continue and we are making good progress. We experienced some technical difficulties last Tuesday (sorry!) which were resolved by our incredible car parking team. Please know we will update you all as soon as parts of the new car park are ready for use. I appreciate your patience during this time, I know it’s frustrating.

This week saw the departure of Steve Jenkin, chief executive of Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead. I am grateful for the collaborative work Steve and I undertook together and wish him all the best for the future. Tony Chambers has been appointed as interim chief executive he brings with him a wealth of experience and I very much look forward to working with him.

Following the pause on some of our work during the height of COVID-19, I am delighted to say we will be reintroducing face-to-face work experience placements this year. The education and learning team are currently scoping work experience placement opportunities across the Trust. If your department can offer a young person an opportunity to experience what it’s like to work in the NHS, please register your interest.

A picture containing text, indoorDescription automatically generatedFinally, congratulations to the national NHS staff survey prize draw winners, Anna Tames, main OPD receptionist, Dana Rosu, sister on Smallfield ward and Laura Cairncross, clinical coder. Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the staff survey and share their invaluable feedback. The findings will be shared in due course.

Have a good week!

Best wishes

Angela Stevenson
Chief executive