Jan Sobieraj, Chief Executive of United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust. Photo: Steve Smailes for Lincolnshire Reporter
Mr Sobieraj, who held senior roles in Barnsley, Sheffield and the Department for Health before coming to Lincolnshire, said he felt ULHT now had a “way forward”.
“I’m absolutely sure it’s in a better position,” he said.
“When I came in, we didn’t have a strategy across Lincolnshire and we have now got that and I’m pleased that last week the board signed off on our five-year and clinical strategy.
“We’ve got a way forward and a future.”
He added that “hoped” the trust would be able to come out of financial and quality special measures.
Challenges and performance
Since taking over as chief executive, Mr Sobieraj has overseen a trust which has been hit with a number of challenges, including staffing shortages and finances.
ULHT is currently in financial and quality special measures and has suffered from staffing shortages which have led to reviews of services.
The trust has also had to tackle overspends in its finances and last year managed to meet its £88.2 million deficit plan.
The organisation is currently ranked as “requires improvement” by health inspectors, but Mr Sobieraj said he is “confident” that CQC officials will see a better position next time around.
ULHT Chief Executive Jan Sobieraj. Photo: Steve Smailes for Lincolnshire Reporter
“We have to remember that being in special measures is not the end of the world,” he said.
“What it means is that we have a special case and circumstances. It does mean extra regulatory review, but also means support.
“I think it many ways it recognises that challenges that you have in a rural environment like Lincolnshire.”
The trust also struggles with waiting times and has not met its target for accident and emergency for half a decade.
Elsewhere, ULHT has not hit its targets for both cancer treatment and for patients waiting less than 18 weeks for a planned operation or non-emergency treatment.
Mr Sobieraj said the trust was “very conscious” of the waiting times for cancer care.
“That is a struggle for us as an organisation and a challenge,” he said.
Mr Sobieraj said he “completely understands” the concern that the decision caused.
“It was a really difficult decision,” he said.
“It was done so in the interests of patients across Lincolnshire and, while I completely understand the concerns of the public, I think we handled it in the best way we could.
“We were very honest and frank with our patients and even though they didn’t like the answers, we tried to explain why it happened.”
Thousands took to the streets in February 2017 in protest at the overnight closure of Grantham A&E. Photo: Steve Smailes for Lincolnshire Reporter
The move would be “sustainable”, said Mr Sobieraj, and would benefit patients.
“For many, it would mean no change at all,” he said.
“For most patients, they will still walk in through the same front door and be seen probably by the same groups of staff.”
Grantham & District Hospital. Photo: United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Achievements and the future
Mr Sobieraj will leave the trust on June 30, paving the way for the new interim CEO to take over.
Among the list of achievements, he has included an improvement in mortality rates and an investment in fire safety at the trust’s hospital sites.
Trust bosses announced the £46 million measures back in May 2018 and said it would help to “reassure” patients.
The sum is being spent on improving fire safety at the Boston, Lincoln and Grantham hospitals, including upgrades to fire doors.
Mr Sobieraj felt the investment was a “tremendous achievement”.
“The trust had a problem with fire safety and part of that was lack of access to money,” he said.
“But we managed to find £46 million from the national coffers and that’s been coming in over the last couple of years.”
As for the future, Mr Sobieraj feels technology will be part of the solution to tackling an ageing population and the problems it brings.
Part of this will include treating people at home, rather than in an emergency department if it is not necessary.
“We have find a way through technology to support people in their own homes,” he said.
“But, of course that means better broadband and access to training skills and support.”
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Lincolnshire’s biggest rock festival was back with a bang over the weekend – after being delayed four times.
Thousands of rock fans descended on Lincolnshire Showground for Call Of The Wild festival, and were treated to a host of upcoming and well-established acts.
Headliners included Massive Wagons, Reckless Love, and Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons, established by legendary Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell after the death of frontman Lemmy.
The four-day rock extravaganza also had many local bands on the billing, including Lincoln-based The Velvet Queens, who announced their new single ‘The Morning After..’ in collaboration with the festival itself.
Many of the attendees had bought early-bird tickets for the festival back in 2019, following the inaugural event three years ago.
Speaking to The Lincolnite Podcast, Dave O’Hara, co-founder of the festival, spoke of his gratitude to the ticket-holders for sticking by them through a difficult couple of years, and admitted the atmosphere at this year’s event had lit a fire within his team going forward.
Listen here:
Call Of The Wild festival started in 2019, and the second show has been pushed back numerous times due to changes in COVID-19 legislation, including one instance where the festival had to postpone just weeks prior to the guidance changing.
Improvements will be made to the cycle network between Pinchbeck and Spalding after the government awarded a payout of £1.8 million to fund Lincolnshire County Council’s Active Travel Plans.
The money allocated to Lincolnshire will be spent on improving facilities along both the Spalding and Pinchbeck roads, subject to feasibility.
The two communities of Pinchbeck and Spalding will be connected with a safe and direct active travel route while also linking up with the important destinations along Wardentree Lane and Enterprise Way.
This route was identified as a priority for active travel development during the council’s work with stakeholders on the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan for Spalding.
Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “I’m delighted to see further active travel money coming to Lincolnshire. Active travel is something that can benefit all of our communities and I’m pleased to see the development of a route in the south of our county.
“Having been actively developing this idea for one of our Local Cycling and Walking Plans (LCWIPs) it’s clear to see that the benefits are going to be widely felt. This is a great success in one of our bids to the Department for Transport.
“Lincolnshire has invested in developing a LCWIP for each of our strategy board areas. We believe the LCWIPs will be the key for unlocking more of the active travel funding and we look forward to working with the DfT to develop more ideas from our plans for Lincolnshire.”
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