‘I want to take it to the next level’

MATERNITY and children’s services will be staying at Bassetlaw Hospital - that’s the pledge from Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Trust’s new chief executive.

Ron Calvert, who took up his new post last month, said the services will remain at Bassetlaw Hospital - despite the challenging backdrop the NHS is facing nationally.

Mr Calvert said the NHS must find savings of £20bn of savings over the next four years against an ageing population and increasing demand.

“The question is how we keep these service at Bassetlaw Hospital - not whether,” he said.

“We need to look at how we deal with the issues of distributing surgeons and consultants across both Bassetlaw and Doncaster Hospitals to ensure they keep their skills base up for future years.”

Mr Calvert, who took up his new post on 1st September after stepping down as chief executive from Trafford NHS Healthcare Trust where he worked for three years.

He said he was pleased to join a high-ranking Trust with plenty of scope for development.

Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Foundation Trust is currently ranked as the 8th highest performing out of 160 hospital trusts in the country.

Said Mr Calvert: “It’s been very busy since I started and I’m pleased with a lot of what I have seen but I can see there’s a very full agenda for the forthcoming years.”

“I am looking forward to building on Doncaster and Bassetlaw’s achievements and try to take it to the next level - a big task when considering we are ranked as 8th in the country.”

Mr Calvert said there is an extensive programme ahead to develop Bassetlaw Hospital, including a £1m project to expand Accident and Emergency and a scheme to increase the number of single ensuite rooms over the next few years.

Mr Calvert said he is keen to forge strong and positive relationships with local authorities and has embarked on a series of meetings with Bassetlaw Council’s overview and scrutiny committees.

“There are some very complex issues at stake and I want them to meet us and realise that we have got nothing to hide,” he said.

“So far they seem to be happy with the picture we are painting and I hope that at future meetings we can build on that.”

He added: “It can only be a good thing for local people to understand what issues their services are facing.”