Hospital trust has 'turned corner' - chief executive
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| 'Significant improvements': Mr Filochowski said the authority is performing better than before |
The chief executive of West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Jan Filochowski, has said the health authority has turned a corner' in terms of spending, hygiene and patient care.
Mr Filochowski joined the trust after former chief executive, David Law, resigned last November following a damning report by the Healthcare Commission.
It ranked the trust as one of the worst in the country.
The trust manages Watford General Hospital, used by a third of Hertsmere patients. It was the second consecutive year in which it received a 'weak' report for both service quality and use of resources.
Mr Filochowski said: "Over the past few months, the trust has made a significant number of improvements to its services in a lot of areas.
"There is still much to do, but I really think we have turned a corner. As we get closer to the end of the year, I can confidently predict that we will generate a surplus of around £2.4 million."
He said it would be the first surplus the trust had made for a number of years and that it is a "massive improvement" on previous years.
He added: "It means we are spending within our income each month. However we do need to continue to keep control of our finances and improve our efficiency and productivity."
Mr Filochowski said that the trust would also improve in this year's Healthcare Commission ratings.
He said: "I said at the beginning of my tenure that we had to improve on the last rating we received from the Healthcare Commission and I'm now confident we will."
The trust also reported that C.difficile infections have reduced by 80 per cent since November and that they have reinforced hand hygiene procedures with staff and carry out weekly hygiene audits.
A trust spokeswoman said: "The trust admits it still has a way to go, but the direction of travel and the progress made is very positive.
"The deep clean schedule of the inpatient clinical area to be completed at Watford General Hospital is by the end of March."
8:25am Friday 21st March 2008
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