Boom in consultant appointments at West Suffolk Hospital

July 3, 2001

Senior medical staff numbers have increased sharply at the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust over the last year.

Since July 2000, twelve new posts have been filled.  Many specialties have benefited from the arrival of extra consultants, including cancer care which saw a new oncologist, Dr Helen Patterson, appointed.  Two new breast surgeon positions were filled by Mr Oduru Ravisekar and Mr Eamonn Coveney, the number of orthopaedic surgeons rose from five to six with the arrival of Mr Willem Schenk, and the Trust now shares an ENT surgeon with Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.  Posts for pathologists, gastroenterologists, chest physicians and diabetologists have doubled as new consultants for each field were appointed.

"This massive expansion in consultants working for the Trust is exciting news," said Johanna Finn, Trust Chief Executive.  "The people joining us are excellent clinicians, attracted because we already have a super team in place, and good people attract more good people.

"In some cases joint appointments help to attract consultants as they can undertake highly specialised work at Addenbrooke’s and more routine work at the West Suffolk."

Modern medical care is leading to increasing specialisation by consultants. As technology and medical knowledge advance, healthcare professionals find themselves focussing on specific areas.  By becoming experts in particular areas, clinicians provide the best possible care.

For example, general surgeons at the West Suffolk Hospital now focus on certain types of surgery for certain parts of the body.  There are now two upper gastrointestinal surgeons, two colorectal surgeons, two breast surgeons and one vascular surgeon.  In the past, general surgeons would have covered all these fields.

Another attraction is that the Hospital is hosting the new Cambridge Graduate Course in Medicine to train more doctors for the NHS.  This satellite of the University of Cambridge Clinical School on the West Suffolk Hospital site enables the Trust to attract high quality staff.  Teaching hospitals have to keep ahead of the latest technology and medical developments, and departments are challenged by students to encourage them to review their existing practices.

"We have shifted our efforts over the last few years to become increasingly patient-focused," said Johanna.  "The Cambridge Graduate Course will encourage this process and I fully expect the students to play a role in stimulating us help to improve services."

More patients need to be treated as waiting times are targeted and get shorter, necessitating the increase in consultant numbers.  In support of this increase, the Trust has purchased more equipment to cater for the bigger workload.  More nurses, physiotherapists and laboratory staff have also been recruited, including around 60 nurses from the Philippines.  The Trust is currently seeking to employ more senior staff nurses.