The new chairman of Kingston Hospital promises she will work with patients and patients' groups when she takes the reins in September.

Sian Bates, 56, who lives in Hampton, oversaw five primary care trusts in south-west London, including Kingston, for two years until April, and was chairman of Richmond Primary Care Trust for 10 years before that.

She said: “I am not going to be a chairman that just looks within the walls of Kingston – my stance is outward.

“If we were to adopt any style other than partnership working, transparency, and being the greatest listening organisation it would fail.

“That is the opposite of my style. It is all about working with our community.”

She said she will also focus on gathering “real-time” feedback on services from patients and staff.

She added: “I have to ensure that the quality remains. We want it to get better. I would want to get out and meet the staff – I want to get to hear what they are saying.

“That would be one of my first priorities.”

Addressing the concerns of campaigners who say the looming closure of accident and emergency and maternity services at Epsom and St Helier hospitals will put pressure on Kingston, Mrs Bates said the hospital is “well-placed” to expand.

She said: “If Better Services, Better Value means more pressure on Kingston Hospital, we need to plan for that.

“I think Kingston would be wonderfully-placed in those two areas, but it all depends on what the public say.

“I am not pre-empting anything.

“We have had increased usage of accident and emergency, and Kingston Hospital has coped.

"I think that if they have coped with it they will absolutely continue to cope with it.”

A planning application for a new two-storey maternity building was turned down by Kingston Council earlier this year, due to parking concerns.

 

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