Monday 17 February 2014

Stephen Metcalfe MP and Secretary of State for Health visit improved Basildon Hospital


Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, and Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt MP, visited Basildon Hospital last week to ensure improvements are being made and to announce further plans to keep the Hospital on the right track.

The Secretary of State announced that Sir Stuart Rose, former head of Marks & Spencer, will lead a review into how to improve management in the NHS across England, with a particular focus on hospitals that were identified as underperforming in the Keogh report.

Sir Stuart turned round the fortunes of Marks and Spencer and it is hoped he will do the same for the NHS. He will focus on making managers more visible, improving performance, and on attracting and retaining the best leaders.

Mr Hunt took a tour of the hospital with the local MP and spoke to both patients and staff about their experiences at the Hospital.

The Secretary of State praised staff for the improvements made after the Keogh inspection. He commented:  “I had a fantastic afternoon on the paediatric ward and was really impressed by how committed the staff are.”

“The hospital has clearly turned a big corner and is on the road to recovery, and people in Basildon can be really proud of the progress made.”
Mr Metcalfe said: “I was delighted that the Secretary of State had the opportunity to see the great improvements that have made at the Hospital. I am very grateful to all the staff for their tireless hard work and I am confident that it will keep on improving.”

“I am also extremely pleased to see Sir Stuart stepping in to help transform all underperforming hospitals and management across the NHS. He has had great experience at transforming large, complex organisations like Marks & Spencer and will bring a fresh pair of eyes to the situation.”