24 July 2024
New Health Secretary Wes Streeting visited Heatherwood Hospital on Friday and told reporters afterwards “This is what the future of the NHS should look like.”
In his first hospital visit since being appointed to the role, Mr Streeting was given a tour of the building by chief executive (interim) Caroline Hutton, deputy chief medical officer, John Seymour, and Managing Director of Heatherwood Angela Lawes.
During the tour the Heatherwood team showcased the hospital’s achievements and successes since opening in 2022 and highlighted our digital innovation and continuous quality improvement work. The team also discussed the Trust as a whole and the ongoing challenges facing Frimley Health and the wider NHS in the region.
Mr Streeting visited the pre-assessment area, theatres and Treetops before holding an open and informal conversation with a group of around 20 clinical staff to get their views on Heatherwood and working in the NHS. The staff engagement session was the first of a series of sessions he is planning to undertake in other regions, as he is keen to work with staff to shape the changes that are needed.
The health and social care secretary said he hoped Heatherwood “would inspire the rest of the healthcare system” and complimented the positive attitudes of the staff saying “staff are beaming with professional pride because of the quality of care they’re able to provide to patients”.
Mr Streeting also spoke to a patient during his visit, Peter Flynn from Bracknell who had had knee revision surgery earlier that day. Mr Flynn said: “I told him that it’s an amazing hospital with wonderful staff. It makes such a difference being treated in a hospital that is dedicated to planned surgery, the care is more focused on each individual patient and helping people to recover quickly.”
After the hospital visit, Mr Streeting went to Greenwood, our Heatherwood office area, to meet around 60 healthcare CEOs from across the SE region for a town hall style event with a number also dialling in remotely for a Q&A session.