Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 24 March

March 24, 2023

It is with sadness that we announce that Doreen Anita Murray, who worked as a Professional Development Nurse within Medicine and Emergency Care, passed away suddenly.

Doreen had worked in the Trust since 1995, with her speciality area being elderly care. In addition, she was integral in supporting the international nurses as well as being a fantastic cultural ambassador. Over her time at SWB, Doreen worked across all directorates before becoming a PDN in 2018. Doreen had the utmost respect from her colleagues, working quietly and effectively with a caring and compassionate approach.

Doreen is survived by her family, her son, and sisters. We offer our sincerest condolences to her loved ones at this difficult time.

On Friday, our Trust Board agreed our annual plan for 20023/24.  We reviewed the ask of us with regard to delivering NHS Plan standards and targets, such as elective waiting time recovery and ambulance handover times, as well as careful calculations about our workforce requirements for the year, inclusive of course of the profile of recruitment to new roles that we need for our Midland Met care model.  Finally, we reviewed the extremely challenging financial position we are faced with, in which we need to step up our elective work, deliver more community contacts and drive forward our Trust strategic objectives, whilst keeping our workforce numbers largely “flat” (not increased from this current year).  It is a very challenging ask, and one which will need exceptional teamwork, attention to detail and no little care and compassion at times, when our under pressure services occasionally trigger emotional responses or feelings of being overwhelmed in the process.

I never met Doreen, but the respect which she showed for others and the respect others had for her, embodied the spirit of the organisation and its values of Ambition, Respect and Compassion.  We will need to collectively channel those traits, in the delivery of this annual plan in very difficult circumstances.  Doreen clearly reflected everything that was good about our Trust.

Have a good week.

Richard