Bob Bell, CEO, Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust

Securing new funding streams for research will be a key task in 2008 says Bob Bell, CEO of Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust. With reductions in guaranteed funding from government impacting on all research-led NHS trusts in 2008-09, developing new relationships with commercial and academic institutions must be a high priority if London is to remain a leading player in medical research.

In addition, the robust internal market and global competition for healthcare delivery and research funding means that “we all have to become more entrepreneurial to improve our services. Management teams in particular have to look at the flexibility of their strategies to ensure Trusts can adapt to new opportunities and threats.”

Bell views increased competition for healthcare services as an opportunity to improve the NHS: “As we become more adept at managing difficult conditions, and assuming we continue to exceed the expectations of our stakeholders, we will attract better people who want to work at the best performing organisations.”

As a specialist heart and lung Trust, Royal Brompton & Harefield is able to attract experts from around the world who are drawn to the Trust’s internationally renowned profile. As a result Bell believes the Trust has been largely insulated from any UK skills shortage: “There are 35 nationalities represented on our senior medical and management teams. Amongst all staff the figure rises to 45. Many are leaders in their field who, despite the high cost of living in London, want to work among peers at a world renowned centre.”

Bell believes that the UK Government should support London as a centre of excellence to attract the best and brightest from overseas. As a Canadian he would like to see his adopted country benefit more from its perceived role in the world: “London is seen as a centre for excellence in many industries, the NHS is a role model for all other healthcare systems around the world and we have some of the best people working here,” he says.

With such optimistic sentiment it is not surprising that Bell is excited by the future for his organisation, the wider NHS and the public sector as a whole. “We have some great people developing their skills with us, and despite the almost constant negative media coverage of the healthcare service here in Britain, I see great potential in our young recruits. They believe to their core in the mission of the NHS and they want to work with the best, even if it means sacrificing some financial gain.”

This is evidenced with an anecdote from Bell’s own family. His daughter, a law graduate with five years experience at a Canadian Ministerial Department, recently moved to London to work with a leading NGO.

Her reason?

“She wanted a greater sense of fulfilment that her role wasn’t giving her; she wanted to come to the capital of the world and work with the best NGOs and their people. She couldn’t be happier here, she is truly making a difference in many people’s lives, and she is just one example from many in that generation” says Bell.

http://www.rbht.nhs.uk/