A week-long celebration of staff who work at a North Staffordshire hospital is taking place to mark its 40th anniversary.
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) is showcasing stories of excellent patient care, its staff and improvements made to its facilities on social media and on a special part of its website.
Those featured include surgeon Akshay Malhotra who achieved a national first by carrying out four corrective wrist operations in one day, which was recently featured in Daily Focus.
There are also stories about Paula Bentley, a dental nurse who has helped deliver life-changing treatment to over one thousand African schoolchildren and Urology and Anaesthetic Nurse Manju Mathews, who won a Royal College of Nursing West Midlands Black History Month Making a Difference Award for the support she has offered international nurses.
Recognition has also come in for the likes of theatre staff who have helped to reduce surgery waiting times, the catering team who feed almost 20,000 patients a month and the UHNM Charity for improving patient care and experience.
Tracy Bullock, UHNM Chief Executive, said: “I would like to congratulate all our staff at County Hospital for their incredible hard work and dedication over the years.
“Along with the recently opened Staffordshire Treatment Suite and North Midlands Hand Centre, I hope people are starting to see the major investments that have been made at County Hospital.
“Ophthalmology, breast care, bariatrics and orthopaedics have also all been heavily invested in over the past 18 months as we develop our services here at County Hospital so it has a sure and sustainable future and is part of our long-term strategy as an organisation.”
County Hospital was opened in 1983 on the site of Coton Hill private psychiatric hospital which opened in 1854 and was demolished in 1976.
Only four original buildings from the original hospital remain – the privately-owned main lodge and villas, the old chapel which now forms part of the Postgraduate Medical Centre and rear gardener’s lodge which houses Hospital Radio Stafford.
The new hospital worked in tandem with the old Staffordshire General Infirmary until its closure in 1996.
UHNM was created on 1 November 2014 following the integration of Stafford Hospital (part of the former Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust) with University Hospital of North Staffordshire.
Recent multi-mullion pound investments over the past decade have included a new and expanded renal unit, multiple improvements to theatres, a new chemotherapy unit and refurbishments to multiple wards.
A special plaque has been unveiled at the hospital to mark the anniversary.
The 40 stores for 40 years initiative is available online here.
