0845 052 5733*
Hospital appoints first woman director
Jane Abbott has been appointed Director of Benenden Hospital near Cranbrook,
the first woman to hold the post in the hospital’s 102-year history.
Mrs Abbott, 47, joined the award-winning independent hospital six years ago as
Director of Nursing and Clinical Services, and was Acting Hospital Director until
her recent appointment as Director. She began her nursing career training at Guy’s
Hospital and later specialised in renal care.
One of her first tasks as head of the hospital was to welcome MP for Maidstone
and the Weald, Ann Widdecombe, to open a new £2m suite of single occupancy en-suite
rooms for patients and an upgraded operating theatre.
Mrs Abbott said: “This is a very exciting time of investment and growth for the
hospital. This year we’ve already seen the introduction of the new Garland Suite,
which means we will be able to accommodate more patients in single rooms and offer
the very latest in operating theatre technology.
“Benenden Hospital is in the process of expanding its services and will soon
be able to offer a greater range of treatment and surgery, enabling more patients
to experience its high quality standard of care.”
Benenden Hospital recently won the award as top healthcare employer in the UK
in the Health Service Journal and Nursing Times’ prestigious Healthcare 100 list.
This was the third year running that the Hospital has won this award for the way
it cares for its staff.
Looking to the future of the Hospital, which employs around 450 staff, Mrs Abbott added: “I would like us to build on the success of the awards we have recently won as a good employer and to raise the profile of Benenden Hospital to potential patients as a hospital which consistently exceeds expectations.”
Mrs Abbott is married, with two daughters and lives in the neighbouring village
of Benenden. She enjoys puzzles, Sukodu and gardening in her leisure time.
Benenden Hospital was founded in 1907 as a TB sanatorium for postal workers but,
more than a century later, it provides healthcare for Benenden Healthcare Society
members, private patients and NHS patients who can elect to have treatment there
through the NHS GPs’ Choose and Book scheme.
The hospital prides itself on providing high quality diagnostic, surgical and
medical services. Great emphasis is placed on providing comfortable, clean and
infection-free accommodation and a range of clinical services, which have led
to an impressive array of industry awards.
Benenden Healthcare Society is a not for profit organisation which works for
the benefit of its members, offering them medical care at 12 hospitals, including
Benenden Hospital in Kent. The group had no cases at all of MRSA infection during
the last monitored period, 2006 to 2008.
ENDS
For more information please contact:
• Lawrence Christensen, Head of Communications, Benenden Healthcare Society,
on 0845 052 5787, Lawrence.christensen@benenden.org.uk
• Alison Hardy/ Georgette McCready, Maxim, on 01892 513033 / Alison@maxim-pr.co.uk / georgette@maxim-pr.co.uk
Notes to editors:
Benenden Healthcare Society
Benenden Healthcare is a mutual 'not for profit' Friendly Society, run for members. As a mutual organisation, not a medical insurer, members club together so that they can get the first class medical help they need, when they need it most.
Benenden Hospital
Benenden Hospital was founded in 1907 and became the centre for hospital treatment for members of Trade Unions and Friendly Societies and subsequently large numbers of public sector employees who joined what is now the Benenden Healthcare Society. The Society has a membership of over 940,000.
In recent years the hospital has increasingly been able to provide services for
patients who are not members of the Benenden Healthcare Society. Local National
Health Services are increasing their use of the Hospital’s facilities as are patients
who wish to use private medical insurance or who wish to pay directly for their
own hospital care.
The hospital places great emphasis on quality providing comfortable, clean and infection free accommodation and a range of clinical services which are tailored to meet the needs of individual patients. The hospital has a Matron – a senior and experienced professional – who has the authority to resolve problems and to make sure the 'patient pathway' is both effective and patient friendly. The Hospital recently scooped five out of 12 of the Healthcare 100 Awards for best employer accolades.
Benenden Healthcare membership is initially only available for current or former employees of the Post Office, Civil Service, BT, registered charities, public sector bodies and other approved organisations whose aims and objectives are deemed compatible with those of the Society. Some services have a six month qualifying period.
The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited is an incorporated friendly society, registered under the Friendly Societies Act 1992, registered number 480F. The Society’s contractual business (the provision of tuberculosis benefit) is authorised by the FSA. The remainder of the Society’s business is undertaken on a discretionary basis. The Society is subject to FSA requirement for prudential management. Registered Office: The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG.
© 2009 Benenden Healthcare