Hospital trust welcomes status change in partnership with a Staffordshire university - as chairman pledges not to spend oodles of money on new logo
A Shropshire acute hospitals trust has been awarded university status and will be getting a new name as a result, leaders were told.
Members of the board of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust (SaTH) applauded when the news was broken by chief executive Jo Williams at their meeting on Thursday morning.
It means that the trust will be able to carry out more research to the benefit of patients and be more of a centre of education and learning for staff.
“I have shared with our teams that we have been awarded university status, which is fantastic news,” she said. “It is a partnership with Keele University.”
She added that keeping the secret had been “killing” both her and her board colleague, deputy medical director Jenni Rowlands.
“It will mean that we will have a new logo and a new name,” she added.
Board chairman Andrew Morgan said: “It is a part of how we reposition ourselves as an organisation and no longer being at the bottom of league tables.
“They do not just give it away, it is not automatic and good luck in trying to work out what to call us.”
Mr Morgan added that SaTH would not be spending “oodles of money on signs and logos.
“When they have to be replaced, but we won’t be spending lots of money or lots of time on this.”
The accolade has been given in recognition of the trust’s work in research and education.
A SaTH spokesperson said it will support it in delivering “high quality care and attract further research and investment to create an exciting environment for academic and clinical advancement.”
The application was made in partnership with Keele University. SaTH also has partnerships with several other universities and research teams which teach and train the next generation of health care professionals and work to develop new and better treatments for patients.
The trust – which runs Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford – currently has over 50 research studies being carried out, with thousands of patients having taken part in these trials every year.
Ms Williams said: “We have an ambitious research and innovation portfolio and believe strongly in homegrown clinically led research. We have an impressive success rate in recruiting research participants and excellent rates in securing and leading multi-million-pound research projects.
“Now that we have been recognised as a university trust, we will build on our ambition to be known for delivering modern and transformative, evidence-based care for our patients and communities, who are at the heart of all we do.”
Dr John Jones, medical director at SaTH, said: “We are proud of the excellent experience and educational attainment that our students gain during placements with us.
“Developing a culture of education will allow our organisation to flourish. It’s not just about educating medical students, but nurses and corporate colleagues across our hospitals as well which will allow us to recruit and retain the best staff.”
Professor Kevin Shakesheff, Vice-Chancellor of Keele University, said: “I’m thrilled that our colleagues at SaTH have been successful in their bid for university trust status.
“Partnerships between universities and healthcare providers, like our work with SaTH, form a strong foundation for healthcare research and teaching. This will ultimately have huge benefits for the communities that the Trust serves, ensuring they have access to the best quality care informed by research.”
A spokesperson said that the trust’s next step will be to officially request a new logo and “slight amend” to its name to recognise that it is now a university trust.
