Oswestry orthopaedic hospital to invest £4 million in upgrades
Oswestry's orthopaedic hospital will invest £4 million in its services and facilities in the next 12 months after hitting all its financial targets over the past year.
A board meeting of the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital heard how hitting targets has led to a £2.2 million surplus in its annual accounts.
It is made up of a £500,000 operating surplus and it has also received £1.8 million from NHS Improvement for hitting its targets.
That money will go into a pot totalling £4 million, which hospital bosses will invest in a number of projects including a new state of the art CT scanner to replace the existing machine and an upgrade of the Kenyon Ward, which admits general surgery patients.
Chief executive Mark Brandreth said: “Delivering on our financial targets is so important and we were delighted to do so again this year. I want to pay tribute to our incredible staff for their hard work, which has made this possible.
“This really is fantastic news for us, as it will strengthen our cash balances and financial resilience, ensuring we can prosper and remain independent.
Increase investments
“More importantly, it means we can increase investments back into our services, supporting our ambition to deliver world class care.”
The £4 million pledge comes on the back of a £2.5 capital investment in 2017/18, which was used to purchase new beds, do important work to improve the outpatients environment, and make car park improvements.
Director of finance Craig Macbeth said despite the good news it is important the hospital continues to spend its money wisely.
He added: "The NHS is likely to remain financially-challenged in the short and medium-term so we need to stay focussed and keep challenging ourselves to improve efficiency further and make sure we are using our money wisely.
“Our ability to keep investing in our services and making improvements relies on our ability to stay in the black.
“We believe the capital programme we have outlined for the next year is one that will really make a difference to patients and staff alike.
“All of our staff can be proud of the part they have played in making that possible.”
