It was really useful to sit down with both of the Chief Executives of OUHFT and the BOB ICB, Dr Meghana Pandit and Dr Nick Broughton, at the Horton last month.
I used our meeting as an opportunity to reiterate the need for us all to work more closely together so that we can make sure the Horton continues to provide excellent care for our families now and for many generations to come. Open communication is essential, and residents must be taken on the journey with the Trust.
I received Meghana’s assurances that the Horton has a firm place in the Trust’s future vision, which has been reinforced by the Trust’s new Clinical Strategy for the next five years. We know what the Horton’s strengths are and, as I have said before, it can do a lot more than people realise. As a ‘hot site’, the urgent care services the Horton provides to our fast-growing population is instrumental to the smooth-running of the Trust.
It was great to hear more about the Horton’s success for funding elsewhere. Through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, our hospital is receiving investment to replace its heating system, which includes window replacements and solar upgrades. This funding will go a long way towards future-proofing the Horton’s infrastructure, making it much more sustainable and energy efficient.
During my visit to the Horton, I was really pleased to take a walk around the hospital and visit one of the Horton’s more recent additions – a new CT scanner which has been helping local people receive treatment much closer to home. The scanner can perform approximately 1,000 outpatient scans per month which is increasing the Horton’s diagnostic capacity, helping to reduce waiting lists. This is much-welcome investment at our hospital and hope to see more of its kind in the future.
