THE Alex doesn’t need saving, and it’s future is bright – that’s the verdict of the health trust’s new interim chief nursing officer and Redditch resident Jan Stevens.
Speaking in the cafeteria at the Alex, Mrs Stevens, who has arrived on a six-month contract is full of praise for the hospital, its staff, and the standard of care they deliver.
“This is a really good hospital and I want people to have confidence that they will be well cared for here,” she said.
“It’s important they are proud of what we have and we should hold our heads up high – we will be going through a bit of turmoil but lots of what we do here will not change.”
Mrs Stevens has a reputation as a can-do operator, her claim to fame resting on changes she introduced to take on the hospital bug MRSA, a battle the NHS is now winning after she ignored the nay-sayers and stripped cleanliness back to basics, starting by the simple washing of hands.
Her permanent job remains in health education and she arrives at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust from another Trust which was in special measures, Barts in London.
And she’s come armed with plans that include tackling the Trust’s nurse retention and recruitment issues, increasing support and training for nursing staff, particularly matrons and sisters, and looking at different ways to deliver health care.
“We have happy staff, well cared for patients and good standards being maintained – all the data tells me we are building on a good base,” said the Hither Green Lane resident.
However, she tackles head on the issue of much of the care currently being carried out at the Alex being transferred to Worcestershire Royal.
“One of the challenges is that people keep saying Redditch is closing and all services moving to Worcester – this is simply not true and it’s having a detrimental effect.
“There is a good future for the Alex – some things may need to be different, and it’s not just about money, but particularly the staff challenges we have got.
“The wards are full of people with complex care needs and specialist care centres are the right thing for patients and the safest thing for patients, which is why we need the West Midlands Clinical Senate to tell us we are going about this the right way.”
On the Trust’s pledge that 95 per cent of local patients will still be seen at A&E at the Alex she added: “What normally comes here through A&E will still come here, however you would go to the centre of excellence for those things that will save your life.
“The Alex has a future – it does not need saving. So if I can offer some level of re-assurance; care is different from what it was 20 years ago and we are re-designing it to meet patient needs.”
