Hello all,
In July we reached two significant milestones as a Trust by returning to our core bed base and reducing the number of long stay patients by 25% through our Let’s Get You Home initiative. We also marked World Head and Neck Cancer Day and held an improvement workshop to better utilise our CT scanners. There were also three further periods of industrial action.
Our services
Returning to our core bed base
At the end of June we re-ignited our focus on discharging patients who are ready to go home across the full seven-day week following increased pressure on our services that led to more use of our surge capacity beds than we would hope for during the summer months. For example, during June our Emergency Department saw almost 10,500 patients – around 5.5% higher than in June 2023. We looked closely at increasing our weekend resilience, and as a result of the Trust’s continuous improvement work and focus on management of emergency activity, we fully reduced our use of surge beds altogether. Returning to our core bed stock was a significant achievement and put the Trust in a good operational position. While we of course have further improvements to make to reduce the delay for patients waiting in the Emergency Department for a ward bed, we strongly believe our plans for frailty, as set out in my most recent Board report, will support this as we move into the Autumn.
Industrial action
In July we saw three periods of industrial action – first by junior doctors between 27 June and 2 July, and then by nursing assistants and maternity support workers on 9 and 10 July, and on 25 and 26 July. While we respect their right to strike, this did increase pressure on Trust services. In addition to our messaging signposting people to the alternative care options available locally, our consultants and other senior medical staff worked hard to ensure we could continue to run as many services as possible and look after patients safely.
Better utilising our CT scanners
This month our Kaizen promotion office (KPO) facilitated our latest Rapid Process Improvement Workshop (RPIW) which focused on bettering utilising our CT scanners to reduce waiting times and improve capacity. Some of the improvement measures introduced included more detailed patient information, better on-site signage, and improvements to the patient check-in process to better utilise radiographer time with their patients. It was a great piece of work that not only streamlines the way we work but improves patient experience and the time we have available to see those who need CT scans as part of their healthcare journey.
Our partners
Let’s Get You Home
It has been over a year since we launched Let’s Get You Home (LGYH) and - despite continuous operational pressures and increasing patient complexity - we have hit some significant milestones on this journey, which all mean better experiences and outcomes for our patients and staff. Ensuring more patients receive the right care at the right time and do not spend unnecessary time in hospital is a great achievement, and thanks to the collective efforts of our teams we have reduced average length of stay for our non-elective patients by almost a day, and reduced the number of long stay patients by 25%. While there is more to do to ensure patients aren’t waiting longer than they need to for an appropriate bed in our Emergency Department, our teams have done a brilliant job in supporting this improvement work so far.
CBRN exercise
At the beginning of the month, we ran a routine emergency planning exercise for Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) substances, which tested out our response plans and processes at all levels. Exercises like this are vital for ensuring our emergency plans are as current and robust as possible. The exercise was run by our Emergency Planning team and involved colleagues from across the Trust, as well as our close partners at SECAMB and Surrey County Council. It was a successful session and had good feedback from teams who took part, with, as you would expect, some useful learnings for our planning of future exercises.
Trust news
Head and Neck Cancer Day
At the end of July, to mark World Head and Neck Cancer Day, our head and neck cancer team hosted an art exhibition titled ‘Faces of Survival’. Here patients who have undergone treatment at East Surrey Hospital, shared their inspiring stories of hope, perseverance and life after diagnosis through the work of some visual artists. The exhibition raised awareness of head and neck cancer, which is now the eighth most common cancer in the UK, and helped to inspire patients to seek professional help earlier and focus on better possible outcomes. You can find out more about this here.
Sophie's Legacy
I am delighted to announce that East Surrey Hospital has been chosen as one of just 15 hospitals nationwide to rollout the next stage of a new joint initiative by Sophie’s Legacy and NHS England to provide nutritious meals for parents of children admitted to the hospital. The pilot project has been made possible through a generous £5,000 grant from charity Sophie’s Legacy, which was set up in memory of Sophie Fairall who died from a rare form of childhood cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma in September 2021. The project, which will launch here at East Surrey in the coming months, ensures that parents of children receiving care on our wards are able to access healthy, good quality meals - helping reduce unnecessary stress and improving the overall hospital experience of families during what is often a very challenging time.
Investing in our teams
In July, we announced the launch of the Digital and Data Academy - an exciting new opportunity for staff at SASH to take that next step in their professional development. The programme, which is run in partnership with Multiverse, is fully funded through the apprenticeship levy and is designed to empower and support development through a wide range of learning modules – all aimed at improving patient outcomes and reducing risk. In line with the NHS People Promise, ‘We are always learning’, this scheme demonstrates our commitment to supporting a culture of continuous learning and professional growth.
Upgrading our entrances
This month we installed new doors at both entrances to East Surrey Hospital. The work, which was carried out over two consecutive weekends, will help improve access to our site for patients, visitors and staff.
Best wishes,
Angela Stevenson
Chief Executive