Renewed confidence at Stafford Hospital

“New Chief Executive pulls no punches about the scale of problems and is clear about what needs doing”

My first day back after a wonderfully relaxing and much needed week and a bit away meant the first of two meetings in relation to the tragic events at Stafford Hospital.

Antony Sumara seems determined

Today’s was with Antony Sumara, the new Chief Executive of the hospital just a couple of weeks into his new role. The second next week is with Robert Francis QC who is chairing the Independent Inquiry announced by the Secretary of State for Health to investigate what went wrong and why.

I met with Mr Sumara this morning in his rather basic but businesslike office and was struck by his direct (refreshingly direct) manner.

He was certainly open about the scale of the problems he’s found and very clear about what needs to change despite his short time in post. It was also obvious he’d wasted no time in making some notable changes both in people and processes already.

And importantly much of what he said, and particularly the way he said it, leads me to believe he will turn things around. He’s hungry to do it and doesn’t want to waste time, striking me as someone on a mission.

Prior to the meeting I didn’t know what to expect but doubted I’d leave with a significantly higher level of reassurance. But I was wrong and left after an hour of talks feeling reassured about his determination to change things and genuine anger at what had happened.

So, if it’s possible to judge somebody in little more than an hour (and I beleive it is) I am confident that change for the better is now underway, albeit in the very early stages.

I hope I’m as confident after my meeting next week that the Inquiry will allow those who have lost friends and loved ones at Stafford Hospital to draw some sort of line in the sand.

From my communications with Robert Francis so far I think, he too, is equally determined as Mr Sumara. Whether the very limited powers under an Independent Inquiry rather than the legal powers a Public one brings match that determination remains to be seen. I’ll learn more from him next week.

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