RD&E Trust Chairman supports need for big changes in NHS in Devon
Speaking at the Royal Devon & Exeter’s NHS Foundation Trust’s (RD&E) Annual Members’ Meeting on Saturday 24 September, Trust Chairman, James Brent, highlighted the need for changes to be made to the way in which care is delivered in Devon but also said that people will need to take greater responsibility for their own health and well-being.
Mr Brent underlined the strong public support for the NHS but added, that “while we do brilliantly at delivering great care to our patients we know that how the system works as a whole is neither clinically nor financially sustainable. We know that things have to change. Some of the changes that will need to happen will mark a radical departure from what people have become used to but I am convinced that is what is now required”.
He went on to call for a new relationship to be forged between people and the NHS which he argued was essential, “not just because resources are tight or that demand is rising; rather it is about doing what’s best for people. We need a system that is not so reliant on care delivered in bed in hospitals. This is what many of us have come to think we need when we become unwell. But we can and must do better.
“We need to do more to prevent people becoming seriously unwell in the first place through better public health and improved monitoring and prevention. We need to have a system that is better joined up, that exists to meet the needs and aspirations of individuals and not because it is convenient for the organisations providing care. And we need a new approach that is tailored to the needs of specific places and that can utilise the existing strengths and energies present in our communities to mutually support each other.
“That’s not to say, of course, that people will not still need the RD&E – they will and we need to ensure that when required they continue to receive outstanding care delivered with courtesy and respect by first rate clinical teams.
Mr Brent’s remarks were made during the Trust’s Annual Members’ Meeting held at the Research, Innovation, Learning and Development (RILD) building, which gives over 150 Trust members and the public an opportunity to find out more about the hospital, to have their say and be involved in conversations on how individuals and communities can improve their health and wellbeing and help make health services more sustainable.
Attendees heard first-hand how the RD&E is working with its partners in Devon to rethink the way care is delivered so that it can better meet the needs of individuals and be provided closer to home. The event included two key note lectures, from Devon County Council, Devon Community Foundation and the Success Regime, which provided a further insight into the transformational work taking place in Devon to help communities to stay healthy for as long as possible.
As well as giving their feedback through focus groups and interactive session, attendees also had the opportunity to get hands on and sample some activities designed to inspire people to lead a healthier lifestyle including seated movement with Dance in Devon and bowls with Active Devon.
To find out more about becoming a Foundation Trust Member please visit www.rdehospital.nhs.uk
