Issue - meetings

To report back from the Panel visit to the Whittington Hospital from October 1^st 2007.

Members of the panel were invited to visit the Whittington Hospital on 1^st October 2007.  Members were provided with a tour of the hospital site by Fiona Elliot (Acting Deputy Director of Strategy & Performance) and Siobhan Harrington (Director of Primary Care).  Members were also able to meet and present questions to David Sloman (Chief Executive). 

·        Members agreed that the tour was very useful as it provided further insight in to the developments taking place at the hospital.  Members were also appreciative of the time given by staff that conducted the tour and with whom they spoke to whilst at the visit.

·        The tour highlighted to members that the hospital is in a process of transition, where a stark contrast in level of facilities was observed between the new development and the old building.

·        Members found the new building in excellent order; clean, bright, easy to navigate, patient centred design and a good place to work for staff. 

·        Conversely, the old building was generally felt to be in a poor state of repair with inadequate maintenance of facilities:

·        It was noted that staff were friendly, enthusiastic and helpful.  There was a perception among panel members that good customer care is beginning to percolate down throughout the hospital.