The Annual Members’ Meeting of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) was held in person for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trust members, local residents, Trust Governors, UHMBT’s senior leadership team and colleagues from across the Trust took part in the annual meeting which was held online and in person on Tuesday 22 November 2022.
It was an opportunity for Trust Members and anyone with an interest in local health and care services to find out more about the work of the Trust and to get an overview of the UHMBT Annual Report which can be viewed on the Trust’s website on this link.
Professor Mike Thomas, Chair of UHMBT, opened the meeting by thanking colleagues throughout the Trust, the Trust’s Council of Governors, volunteers, Trust Members, partner organisations and the people of Morecambe Bay for their hard work and support over the last few challenging years of the pandemic. He praised everyone for supporting the NHS during such a tough period.
Aaron Cummins, Chief Executive of UHMBT, echoed Mike’s words by thanking the Trust’s 9,000 or so colleagues for providing the best possible care over the last three years. Aaron said a key focus for the coming months and years will be the Trust’s continued improvement journey and there are robust plans for ensuring the ongoing sustainability of services.
UHMBT’s new ‘Purpose, Vision and Values’, which provide a framework for everything the Trust does, were featured during the meeting.
The Trust’s ‘Purpose’ is to deliver compassionate care and the best possible results for the people of Morecambe Bay. The ‘Vision’ is to create a great place to work and a great place to be cared for, and the organisation’s ‘Values’ are that colleagues are compassionate, respectful, inclusive, ambitious, open, honest and transparent.
The new UHMBT Strategy was also highlighted during the meeting. Working with colleagues and partners, the Trust has developed a strategy that addresses many challenges, including:
- Improving the quality of services for everyone who uses them
- Being able to deliver clinical and financial sustainability
- Maximising the opportunities that the advances in digital technology provide
- Manage the changing expectations of patients
- Addressing the inequity in care and access to care caused by the pandemic
- Dealing with workforce challenges
- The changing landscape and working environment due to system reform
- Working more collaboratively with partners across Lancashire and South Cumbria (Integrated Care System).
Chris Adcock, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief Executive for UHMBT, presented the Trust’s accounts and provided an overview of the organisation’s financial activities. Chris said everything possible is being done to ensure that the Trust’s finances are on a solid and sustainable footing. The Trust’s Sustainable Financial Improvement Programme (SFIP) is making sure that services can be sustained well into the future.
Lorraine Crossley-Close, Head Governor of UHMBT, said the staff’s hard work and selfless giving were greatly appreciated.
There were numerous questions from people attending the meeting and subjects included the New Hospitals Programme, retention of nurses and midwives, the development of the Trust’s leadership, care costs, partnership working, hospital appointments, how the organisation works with GPs, sustainable energy, healthcare inequalities and the Trust’s clinical strategy.
All agreed that partnership working would be key to maintaining sustainable services for local people.
The UHMBT Annual Report is available on this link.
More information on becoming a Trust Member can be found on the Trust website at: www.uhmb.nhs.uk/members
If you would like to find out more about becoming a Trust Member, please email Ftmembership.Office@mbht.nhs.uk.
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