Dr Shahedal Bari, Chair of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Lung Cancer Network Site Specific Group (NSSG), Deputy Medical Director and Director of Post Graduate Medical Education has been announced as the new Medical Director of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT).
Dr Bari, who joined the Trust in 2010 as Consultant for Respiratory Medicine and General Internal Medicine, said: “I am humbled and privileged to be appointed as the Trust’s new Medical Director. My family is proud and supportive and they will continue to support me through this exciting new challenge.
“I have a strategic vision and understand the need for transformational change in regional and local organisations through the work of the Integrated Care System (Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria) and Integrated Care Partnership (Bay Health and Care Partners), and how this may affect secondary care, population health and patient care.”
As part of work to improve the cancer pathway and through the Better Care Together strategy, Dr Bari and his respiratory colleagues at UHMBT started one stop clinics for patients with symptoms that could indicate lung cancer. One stop clinics aim to provide a more effective service for patients, with quicker diagnosis and minimal waiting times for appointments.
In 2017, the Trust’s respiratory team introduced an Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) which uses a camera and ultrasound guided needle to take a biopsy of lymph nodes – meaning patients received their results for conditions such as lung cancer within three days
Dr Bari, who lives in Lancashire, added: “I have to praise all of my colleagues who I have worked with over the years who have been so dedicated to help shape the fantastic service we have today.”
Dr Bari brings a wealth of experience to the role of Medical Director – he has worked as Deputy Medical Director for the Trust since 2016 and Director of Medical Education since 2014. Dr Bari will continue do respiratory clinical work as part of his new role.
Through his new role Dr Bari will focus on improving safety, mortality, quality and performance to continue to aid a positive culture at the Trust; support colleagues; treat colleagues and patients fairly and honestly and provide compassionate leadership. He introduced Cultural Transformation Tool to this Trust – the first within the Vanguard trusts in 2016-17.
Dr Bari added: “The job of medical director requires serious commitment with a passion for improving healthcare for the local population. It requires a considerable amount of willpower, resilience, integrity, leadership, determination, openness and reliability which are my values.
“I am passionate about delivering compassionate care with safety and quality, through shared leadership and accountability to improve Trust performance; working with staff, people, and patients to offer the best value for NHS resource and progress to a sustainable healthcare system where care, training and quality will flourish.”
Through his role as Deputy Medical Director, Dr Bari led significant changes to improve mortality, safety, leading patient safety unit and supporting cancer care across the three main hospital sites.
He also established a new structure to improve mortality rates and a stronger framework for reporting as well introducing training and learning tools for staff around mortality.
He was awarded Doctor of the Year award at the Trust’s 2015 Health Hero awards.
The appointment of Dr Bari follows the departure of Professor David Walker, who left the Trust to join the Mid and South Essex Hospitals Group as Chief Medical Officer.
Aaron Cummins, Chief Executive, UHMBT, said: “I am delighted to announce that Dr Bari has been appointed as our new Medical Director. This is an exciting and challenging time and Dr Bari’s wealth of experience and knowledge of the Trust, Better Care Together and our Bay Health and Care Partners will be invaluable. I look forward to working with Dr Bari as we continue to drive up standards of quality and care for our patients and staff.”