A NEW Year’s message from Lister Hospital chief executive Nick Carver.

“The Trust’s performance this year continues to be good, we’re on track to deliver the vast majority of standards set for us nationally, regionally and locally.

“Part of that success is due to our focus on improving the quality of care our patients experience within a highly challenging funding environment that will remain with us for some time.

“This is why I’m extremely proud of our staff, especially frontline clinical teams, who have led the improvement in clinical quality and patient experience, whilst also spending taxpayers’ money more effectively.

“With approval now given to the final part of the Lister’s �150 million transformation in to the main hospital for emergency and inpatient care in our parts of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire by 2014, we have a unique opportunity to reduce running costs whilst offering better services. Take the new Diamond Jubilee maternity unit, now highly popular with mothers, yet saves us �1m a year.

“Looking forward to 2013 and beyond, I am confident that the Trust will weather the current economic challenges better than many NHS organisations across the country. I also look forward to our colleagues at NHS Hertfordshire starting to build the �30m new QEII hospital, as well as seeing the current issues affecting the Surgicentre resolved for the benefit of patients.”