Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust has announced that Antonia Ogden-Meade, Director of Business Development and Performance, is moving to Worthing and Southlands NHS Trust to become Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Service Delivery.   She will leave Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust on 9th February 2007.

Commenting on her departure Antonia says: “I will be sad to leave Ashford and St. Peter’s where I have been proud to be part of an excellent team.  Together we have taken the Trust from zero to three stars and last year wererated ‘good’ for our clinical services by the Healthcare Commission.   Our waiting lists are down and our financial position improved.”

Antonia has worked for the NHS for 18 years holding a variety of clinical and managerial posts.  She originally trained and qualified as a nurse at The Royal London NHS Trust in 1991 and only relinquished her registration in 2006.   She joined Ashford and St. Peter’s in 2002 from the then West Surrey Health Authority.   Prior to this Antonia had worked in both community and acute healthcare organisations.

Antonia joined Ashford and St. Peter’s as Head of Service Improvement but was soon promoted to General Manager, covering general and specialist surgery, theatres, anaesthetics, orthopaedics and critical care.  In February 2005 she was appointed Director of Operations and then became Director of Business Development and Performance.

Antonia continued: “We have many first rate services and staff at Ashford and St. Peter’s – the busiest A&E in Surreyincluding the only 24 hour paediatric A&E.  Earlier last year we made good on our promise to modernise Accident and Emergency services for our local population by creating an NHS Walk-in Centre at Ashford Hospital and concentrating trauma and A&E services at St. Peter’s.  Our modern, state of the art facilities, care for over 100,000 patients each year.  These are supported by the only Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Surrey and our Maternity Unit now helps to deliver over 4,000 babies per year.    Worthing and Southlands NHS Trust face many similar challenges to those inSurrey.   I am sure that my experience gained at Ashford and St. Peter’s will be beneficial to my new Trust.”

Glenn Douglas, Chief Executive at Ashford and St. Peter’s thanked Antonia for her hard work at the Trust and commented: “Whilst we are pleased that Antonia has been successful in getting this new post we will be sorry to lose her.   With her help our team has succeeded where many others have not and we have a positive approach to change.   We want to provide the best possible services to everyone who lives and works in our local area and wider Surrey and Antonia has helped us deliver on our promises.   We wish her well in her new position.”

In the wake of Antonia’s departure Ashford and St. Peter’s has announced that it is restructuring it’s top management team and as a contribution to the £5.6m savings made during 2006/07 her post will not be filled.   Her work has been redistributed around the other remaining Executive Directors and senior members of staff.   The Executive Director team now comprises:

·          Chief Executive – Glenn Douglas

·          Medical Director and Joint Deputy Chief Executive – Dr Mike Baxter

·          Director of Human Resources and Joint Deputy Chief Executive – Paul Bentley

·          Director of Nursing and Operations – Michaela Morris

·          Director of Finance – Keith Mansfield

·          Director of Information and Performance – Ian Mackenzie

Glenn Douglas continued: “I have agreed with the Trust Board that the top team at the Trust should be leaner and this will contribute to the significant savings we have made this year and which will continue into next year.    We are keener than ever to stress that there is a positive future for Ashford and St. Peter’s hospitals whatever the outcome of the forthcoming ‘Fit for the Future’ consultation.   We have some excellent services at both hospitals which local people can be proud of and are worthy of their support.”

Clive Thompson, Chairman of Ashford and St. Peter’s said: “Whilst sad to see Antonia leaving the Trust Board has every confidence in the Executive Team.   Both hospitals have an excellent future and local people can rest assured that with their support we will ensure that local healthcare services are maintained at the current high standards.”