60 seconds with... Tom Ellis
This week, we welcome Tom Ellis as the new director of strategy at Newham Hospital. We caught up with Tom to find out a bit about him and what he’s looking forward to most about his new role.
Tell us a bit about yourself and where you were before coming here.
“My passion for working in healthcare goes back 36 years, when I had a kidney transplant and as a result, was in and out of hospital, under the care of exceptional staff. The experience made me realise I wanted to follow a career path that had a positive and direct impact on people. Now, having worked in the NHS for over 30 years, I feel as passionate about the NHS as I did when I first started.
“Previously, I worked primarily at St George’s in Tooting. Initially, I worked in a series of general manager positions covering cardiothoracic, specialist medicine and renal, haematology and oncology, before moving into the strategy team. I made the move to Barts Health in 2021 as head of business planning for the group.”
What will the role of director of strategy at Newham Hospital involve?
“My role will focus on three main areas. These include developing and building the partnership and relationship with the borough and other key stakeholders. Secondly, developing the hospital’s longer-term strategy and looking at how we use and improve our estate, and finally, creating the 2022/23 Hospital Business Plan, which includes taking a role in developing and getting approved the business cases that we need to invest in for the site and its services.
“I'll also be working closely with colleagues at the hospital to try and understand and improve staff and patient experiences – I want to really understand the feeling on the ground and take the thoughts and opinions of staff into consideration when shaping short- and longer-term changes at the hospital.”
What are you most excited about in the new role?
“Having worked in Barts Health for over a year now, I know that no two days are the same and I’m really looking forward to this in my new role. I’m excited to embrace every aspect of my role as director of strategy, always with a focus on what improves patient care and staff experience.
“The role is in line with my career experience so far, and I am looking forward to working with colleagues in Newham hospital, in Newham borough and across the wider trust, to provide high-quality patient care to our local community.”
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