Visit to Barts Health NHS Trust

Last week, our chief executive Daniel Elkeles visited Royal London Hospital, part of Barts Health NHS Trust. Daniel was shown around by Denyse Ghisayawan, deputy associate director of nursing for surgery who introduced the Prime Minister when he launched the 10-year health plan last week.

Daniel said: “Barts Health have just launched a new clinical strategy, with big plans for the Royal London site to contribute to a life sciences campus in Whitechapel. They are also making strong connections with local GPs in Tower Hamlets to build neighbourhood teams. 

“Their new chairman Professor Ian Jacobs, who last worked at the trust 20 years ago, says coming back is something ‘pretty spectacular’ and that was the impression I felt too.

“The growth in the complex and emergency surgical care workload since Covid-19 has been phenomenal with demand increasing from two to eight emergency theatres working each day on emergencies, and only three out of 33 theatres at Royal London and Mile End doing low complexity routine surgery – the rest are all used for highly specialist operations.

“They are most proud of the patient survival rates from major trauma which are two standard deviations better than the predicted level; and in reducing on the day cancellations for complex and routine surgery from 30% to 3.5.”

They have achieved this by:

🔵 Multi-disciplinary team working to create a great place to work, resulting in only five out of 250 theatre staff vacancies.

🔵 Attention to detail in planning and flow as well as creating a powerhouse of clinically led quality improvement.

🔵 Creating a co-located, dedicated HDU/recovery and elective ward beds for complex planned patients staffed jointly by critical care and ward nurses.

🔵 Great relationships with metropolitan police and with charities who support people injured from knife crime, like St Giles.

“The trust receives referrals from all over the country and the next big challenge is in improving the timeliness of discharge back to local hospitals.

“Thank you to Shane, Ian, Neil and Ann for organising an impressive visit.”