Stakeholder update from Chief Executive Matthew Trainer: 27 March 2026
“The corridors were empty”
Dear colleague,
No patient should be cared for on a corridor, but this has unfortunately been a reality for us, as Wes Streeting, Health Secretary and MP for Ilford North, saw when he visited our Emergency Department (ED) at Queen’s Hospital in January.
It was a different story last week when he came in and acknowledged the hard work of our staff across his social media channels for the progress we’ve made in addressing corridor care.
In his speech, NHS: Change we can believe in , he noted that on this latest visit, “the corridors were empty.”
We know that we still have a long way to go and are grateful for his support for the £42million funding we need to transform our A&E and help eradicate corridor care for good.
Appointment reminders have got a new look
Following on from the launch of our electronic patient record, we’re using a new provider (Dr Doctor) for appointment text reminders.
These will now come from a different number, +44 7860 039092, with a web link to Dr Doctor, to view more details about their appointments.
Please encourage residents not to ignore the messages, as they are genuine.
We'll also still be sending out appointment letters in the post as usual in addition to these reminders.
New research unit inspired by Covid
Medical advances rely on research, and for critical care consultant Mandeep Phull, the pandemic fuelled her passion for ensuring that research is part of everyday care.
Mandeep's ambition to improve our status as a research hub led to the opening of a new research unit at our Trust, BHRUT CARES - our centre for Critical Care, Anaesthetic and Surgical research, which brings together expertise from across these areas to support research activity across the Trust.
I was pleased to join our Chair, Sarah Betteley, to officially open the unit at Queen’s Hospital, where Mandeep and her colleagues are working hard to embed research more closely into clinical practice.
Head injury survivors help us understand the brain
Without our patients coming forward, we wouldn't be able to carry out the vital research we undertake.
Motorbike accident survivor Adam, and Andy, who had a brain abscess following a tooth infection, were among the first participants in a new study called Forest 1 , which explores how the brain processes emotions, learning, and attention.
Since ultrasound waves can’t pass through bone, the study focuses on patients who have had part of their skull removed after an injury. An ultrasound device is placed over the area where bone is missing, while the patients completed computer tasks to show how the brain reacts to emotions.
This world-leading research is a partnership between our Trust, Forest Neurotech, and the University of Plymouth, funded by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) .
My thanks to all involved.
Best wishes,
Matthew