NHS Lanarkshire

Improving the health of Lanarkshire’s communities continued to be the aim of NHS Lanarkshire during 2009.

The health board introduced new health facilities and services, as it sought to improve Lanarkshire’s health in the last 12 months, and made great progress in reducing waiting times.

NHS Lanarkshire also faced and overcame new challenges when it treated the UK’s first confirmed cases of swine flu and prepared for the swine flu pandemic.

Highlighting some of the health boards’ achievements in 2009, chairman Ken Corsar said: “This has been an exciting year for NHS Lanarkshire with new services and buildings adding to the already high standard of care we provide.

“One of the highlights of 2009 was without the doubt the official opening of the optimal reperfusion service at Hairmyres Hospital.

“This new West of Scotland service is providing life-saving and life-changing treatment for some heart attack patients.

“We also opened the new Bellshill Community Health Clinic to patients which provides excellent new facilities for the local community and work continues apace on several other new buildings and facilities.”

Throughout the year NHS Lanarkshire has demonstrated success in reducing waiting times.

Ken said: “Our cancer performance continues to improve with more and more patients being seen within 62 days of an urgent referral.

“We have also seen waiting times in accident and emergency (A&E) reduce and be maintained across all three of NHS Lanarkshire’s acute hospitals.”

Staff worked hard during 2009 to reduce the incidence of healthcare associated infection (HAI).

A comprehensive package of measures to tackle HAI was launched by NHS Lanarkshire

NHS Lanarkshire chief executive Tim Davison thanked the health board’s staff for their efforts in 2009.

He said: “Through the hard work and support of all staff we’ve successfully risen to the challenges of the past 12 months.

“Our staff dealt extremely well with the pressures of treating the first confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK and we successfully implemented our pandemic influenza plan with excellent partnership working across public health, primary care and acute hospital services.

“We continue to reduce waiting times and we are on track to meet all of our financial targets.

“As we look ahead to facing new challenges in 2010 we can do so with confidence thanks to the continuing professionalism, dedication and support of all our staff.”