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A message from Sue Harriman, Chief Executive
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Welcome to the June edition of our quarterly newsletter. Lots has been happening here at Hampshire Hospitals, and I hope you'll enjoy reading about the latest news and updates in the content that follows. I want to start off this newsletter by recognising the critical incident we experienced earlier this month where we saw a highly unusual level of pressure at our hospitals for this time of year. Our teams worked so hard, together with partners, to keep patients safe and ensure we could continue to provide care to those who needed it most and the public's support was incredibly helpful in enabling us to effectively step down incident status after 48 hours. Whilst things have been challenging at times, we have a number of exciting projects progressing, including securing funding for our new research hub in Basingstoke, the start of construction of our Winchester Urgent Treatment Centre and more which you can read about below. We also have teams working on some big projects to make some real improvements in particular areas, such as how we book outpatient appointments, and there will be opportunities in the coming months for you to get involved. It is so important that any changes and improvements always keep our patients at the heart and I hope you will take the opportunity to get involved when the time comes.
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A Red Heat Health Alert has been issued from the UK Health Security Agency until 11pm Thursday 25 June. This is the highest level of alert.
The main risks posed by a heatwave are dehydration, overheating (which can worsen symptoms for those who already have problems with their heart or breathing) as well as heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
Please make sure to watch out for signs of heat-related illness.
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Here are some key things to remember:
- Drink plenty of water and cold drinks
- Try to avoid direct sunlight between 11am-3pm
- Wear and reapply sunscreen regularly
- Wear a hat when outside and choose light clothes
- Keep your living space cool by closing windows, curtains and blinds during the day and open them at night
If you or others feel unwell, dizzy, weak, anxious or have intense thirst, move to a cool place, rehydrate and cool your body down. Take a few minutes now to familiarise yourself with the symptoms to look out for and when to get help. If heat exhaustion turns into heatstroke, it should be treated as an emergency.
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Hampshire Hospitals secures £1M funding to deliver new pioneering Research Hub
A new state-of-the-art clinical research facility has been given the green light at Hampshire Hospitals, following a successful £1.025m capital award for the project. This dedicated Research Hub, which will be located at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, will enable the Trust to deliver more clinical research studies than ever before as well as more complex research trials. It will support pioneering research across a range of specialties, improving patient outcomes by accelerating access to innovative treatments. Funding for the purpose-build facility – the first of its kind in North Hampshire dedicated solely for clinical research – has been secured following a successful grant application to the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
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Record number of nominations for Hampshire Hospitals' People Awards
We are thrilled to have received a record-breaking 904 nominations for our 2026 Hampshire Hospitals People Awards, highlighting the outstanding contribution of staff across our hospitals in Basingstoke, Winchester and Andover. As part of the award celebrations, nominees will be recognised at a series of tea party events. Shortlisting panels will then review entries in detail before the award finalists are announced ahead of a special awards ceremony later this year! Funded by Hampshire Hospitals Charity, the awards celebrate individuals and teams who go above and beyond to support patients, colleagues and local communities.
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Healthier choices: Introducing our salad bar
Hampshire Hospitals is piloting a new salad bar in the Blue Cafe, which can be found within The Ark at our Basingstoke site, focused on making healthy eating easier and more appealing for staff and visitors.
Together in partnership with Bidfood and Natural Innovations, the salad bar offers bold and vibrant foods that are full of flavour. From beetroot borani to firecracker cauliflower, there's a whole variety to try!
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A century of care: Andover War Memorial Hospital to mark 100 years since official opening
We are preparing to mark 100 years since Andover War Memorial Hospital officially opened its doors with a programme of exciting celebrations, remembrance and events! To commemorate the centenary, we are inviting local people to share their memories, photographs and stories from across the decades, which you can do here. These will be brought together in a digital display, celebrating the hospital’s history through the voices of the community it serves. The celebrations will include a special event for current and former staff on Tuesday 7 July and the centenary programme also features Hampshire Hospitals Charity’s Party in the Pavilion on Saturday 1 August, which welcomes the wider community to come together and celebrate this milestone.
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Hampshire Hospitals marks its very first Health Creation Week
Health Creation Week this May saw a series of events bringing together staff, partners and local services to promote health and wellbeing and strengthen the role of prevention in everyday care. Throughout the week, teams hosted Health Creation Roadshows and Connection Cafés, connecting staff with local initiatives supporting healthier lifestyles. Topics included physical activity, weight management, smoking cessation, alcohol support and wider wellbeing services, creating valuable opportunities to access advice and explore how staff can better support patients to improve their health and wellbeing.
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Works begin for Urgent Treatment Centre
As of May 2026, construction has begun to build our Urgent Treatment Centre at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, including groundworks. Our Emergency Department (A&E) remains open as normal during this time, and our team and contractors are working hard to minimise disruption. Pedestrian access for members of the public not accessing our emergency department (A&E) should be made through the hospital main entrance or via Queen’s Road.
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Working together and celebrating our people
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We recently marked Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day and teams hosted celebrations to recognise our wonderful colleagues! From porters and chefs to electricians and cleaners, each plays a valuable role in ensuring our sites run smoothly.
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The start of June marked Volunteers' Week where we recognised the 600+ volunteers who give up their time to provide dedicated support to our patients and staff. To celebrate, we hosted our annual tea party! You can find out more about volunteering here.
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April saw us celebrate our wonderful admin colleagues as part of Administrative Professionals Day! From welcoming patients and supporting clinical teams to coordinating services, our admin colleagues work incredibly hard behind-the-scenes.
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On World No Tobacco Day, our Chief Executive, Sue Harriman, and Chief Strategy and Population Health Officer, Shirlene Oh signed the Pledge for a Smokefree UK on behalf of Hampshire Hospitals! You can find out more about our smokefree sites here.
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12 May marked International Nurses Day and we celebrated with ward rounds across our sites to recognise and thank all of our nursing colleagues who show incredible compassion, dedication and skill to provide high quality, safe care to our patients.
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Earlier this month we celebrated lots of colleagues at our Chief Nursing Officer Excellence Awards across categories of 'Clinical Leadership', 'Going Above and Beyond' and 'Patient Experience' - congratulations to all!
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Our Nursing and Midwifery Conference this month saw colleagues come together to learn, share and hear from experts, including patients and carers, for sessions on compassionate care, patient experience and more.
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In April, our Head Chefs were given Hospital Catering Award runner-up at the Public Sector Catering Awards! The team, who between them have over 80 years of service here, attended the awards in London after being selected as one of just six finalists!
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In June we celebrate Pride Month to celebrate LGBTQ+ communities and colleagues and the history of pride! So far, this has included our pride gathering, with opportunities for colleagues to connect with our LGBTQ+ Staff Network.
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June Bird, Governor for West and South Hampshire
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In January 2024, I was delighted to be elected to the Council of Governors as Public Governor representing West and South Hampshire. I bring over 40 years experience not only as a nurse, senior manager and latterly a Management Consultant, I believe this to be complimentary in supporting system working and collaboration and providing examples of good practice. I am an active member of the Patient Experience Group and MEOSC, helping to enhance the patient experience and encouraging more members of the public to join the Trust. As a Governor I consider my role to be totally responsible for forming a rounded view of the interests of the public in my constituency.
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Did you know? You can make contact with your Governor easily to ask questions, discuss challenges you face within your communities or make suggestions for them to put forward.
Email governors@hhft.nhs.uk
Please tell us which Governor you would like your query to be directed to. If no name is given, our Lead Governor, Daughne Taylor, will respond. |
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Prevention in practice: Reflections from Health Creation Week
Health Creation Week brought colleagues and partners together to focus on what prevention really looks like in practice. From interactive roadshows to powerful cross-system conversations, the week showed how small, everyday actions can support healthier lives for our patients and communities.
In this blog, Clare Rowe Jones, Smokefree Lead, reflects on the impact of the week and why making prevention part of everyday care matters more than ever.
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Feeding the 3,000
Cooking fresh food for 3,000 patients as well as hundreds of staff and visitors every day is no small feat. Each individually ordered patient meal needs to be delivered within an hour’s timeslot at the right temperature, and as Head Chef, Daniel Freeman says “we know that for our patients, mealtimes are an important part of the day, and nourishing food is key to recovery.”
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Man dressed as chicken raises £10,000 for hospital that supported partner
After his partner Jodie needed treatment for cancer, Steve Debben knew he wanted to give back to the team that had cared for her. From coming up with a fundraising idea in a hospital corridor to undertaking a 501 mile ride, Steve restored his Bantam bike to complete a challenge that took him from Burmouth, Scotland, to Bournemouth on the South Coast, where Steve and Jodie had their very first date. Steve raised almost £10,000 for charity and recently returned to the ward to present the donation, where plans are now underway to transform the treatment space.
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Local maternity team takes on Tough Mudder to support expectant families
A local maternity department team has taken on a fundraising challenge to support the purchase of upgraded equipment that will support expectant mothers and their unborn babies. The team of 19, made up of staff from both maternity units at Basingstoke and Winchester hospitals, family and friends, took on the Tough Mudder challenge in May to raise funds for Hampshire Hospitals Charity and the purchase of upgraded CTG machines. These new machines will use the most advanced technology available, helping maternity teams spot signs of distress early, especially in high-risk pregnancies.
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Colour Run
Saturday 1 August
Our popular Colour Run returns in 2026, and we’ll be back painting Harewood Forest a variety of bright colours, all in support of your local hospital. This fun, vibrant run (or walk) through the forest in Wherwell will be taking place on Saturday 1 August 2026 and your t-shirt and finishers medal are all included in your entry fee.
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Party at the Pavilion
Saturday 1 August
After our Colour Run, we’ll be welcoming the community to our Party at the Pavilion - a free event giving the community the chance to come together and celebrate 100 years of Andover War Memorial Hospital caring for local people.
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Upcoming events and meetings
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16 July | 2pm - 5pm Council of Governors meeting
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30 July | 10am - 1pm Board of Directors meeting
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16 September | 5pm - 7.30pm Annual General Meeting
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If you have any questions or would like further information on Trust meetings, please email company.secretary@hhft.nhs.uk
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Did you know? Hampshire Hospitals members can now access hundreds of discounts and high street offers! Register today with Health Service Discounts via the link below. |
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Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital
Royal Hampshire County Hospital
Andover War Memorial Hospital
www.hampshirehospitals.nhs.uk
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