Royal Liverpool has ability to be ‘second to none’ says new hospital chief

Sep 11 2007 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

THE Royal Liverpool hospital can have an “international reputation second to none” within the next 10 years, according to its new chief executive.

Tony Bell, who has served the NHS for more than 30 years, will take up the position at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust (RLBUHT) before the end of the year, it was announced yesterday.

He will be leaving his current post as chief executive of Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital Trust, which includes Alder Hey, after seven years.

The former nurse has a wealth of experience behind him, including dealing with the aftermath of the Alder Hey baby organ scandal, which was exposed the year before he joined the Trust.

Mr Bell says he is joining the trust at a time when the reputation of both the Royal and Broadgreen has improved in the local community.

He takes the helm from Maggie Boyle who left the Trust after four and a half years, to take up a new post at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Mr Bell said: “I first worked at the Royal in 1988 and I think its reputation has definitely improved over the years. I think the Royal has the ability to have an international reputation, second to none and I think most staff feel that the public genuinely feel warmer towards the hospital than they used to.

“I really do think Liverpool people wish it well and take a keen interest in its future. The community is getting behind the Royal.”

Mr Bell’s appointment comes weeks after a £400m blueprint was announced for a rebuild at the Royal, set to be complete by 2014.

While some patients have expressed concern that the plan includes a reduction in the number of beds of up to 300, Mr Bell says this is part of a wider picture in the changing face of healthcare by moving services into the community.

“If patients do not need to be in an acute hospital, they should not be there,” he said.

“You can put treatments out into the community and it is our responsibility as well as the PCT to make sure we get it right.

“There are so many exciting things happening, the new build hospital is a hugely important prospect but also to have the Royal as a major centre of excellence for the treatment of cancer is brilliant.

“The new national Biomedical Research Centre for tropical diseases really is first class and puts Liverpool in a different league. I am so sad to leave my former post, it has been an amazing seven years but it is time for a new challenge.

“I have been supported by a great Board, clinicians and managers. I would like to thank everyone for their support during my time there.”

Judith Greensmith, chairman at the Royal Liverpool and Broad-green University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Tony is an outstand-ing individual with exceptional qualities and a proven track record of leading NHS organisa-tions through periods of change.

“The Board and I are confident that Tony will provide excellent leadership to enable us to meet our future challenges.”

Mr Bell originally started his career as a nurse. He took up his first Board level post at University Hospitals Aintree in 1990 as executive nurse. He subsequently moved on to the former Mersey Regional Health Authority, event-ually becoming chief executive of the Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital NHS Trust in 2000.

He was awarded the OBE for services to healthcare and the NHS in 1996.

lizawilliams