IMPROVING the quality of care and patient safety are the main priorities for the coming year, according to the newly installed permanent chief executive of Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.
Michael Wilson, who beat two other candidates to secure the role he has held in an interim position for over two years, said he also wants to achieve the ultimate goal for the trust – foundation status.
Mr Wilson faced a tough review of his credentials during the recent interview process but said his vision for the trust, which runs East Surrey Hospital, was what got him the job.
"We want to be building up the patient experience," said Mr Wilson. "We're consulting on all the things we've done so far to improve that experience, on quality of care, patients' safety and clinical outcomes, and we're preparing ourselves to become a foundation trust.
"We've got a lot of work to do this year but we're up for it."
With £13.4 million about to be invested in new operating theatres at East Surrey Hospital and controversial government changes to healthcare about to come into force – which will see GPs take control of the NHS budget through clinical commissioning groups and primary care trusts scrapped – the healthcare boss said he is aware of the scale of the challenge in front of him.
"The challenge for us is to make sure we get through the foundation trust process but it's not an easy job," he said. "Another challenge for us is working differently within the organisation; we've got to work more closely with clinical commissioning groups and GPs.
"We need to design and develop services in the community and integrate services in the community whenever it's safe to do so."
Mr Wilson also responded to criticism regarding potential plans to farm the dictation of patients' letters to India, work that is currently done by the hospital's secretaries. He said the work trial, which could start in the next few months, would be led by clinicians and free up staff.
"It's a new thing, I've got no preconceived ideas; it's being led clinically by the doctors and if it works we're going to use it. There are things that will work and things that might not. We'll always get that. My staff tell me they're overworked so I'm looking at ways of reacting that will free them up."
