The process of bringing the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust back to full working order has recently undergone another major step. New Chief Executive Michelle MacKay has started, completing the appointment of the crucial chairman / CEO double act.

Last week I, with some of my colleagues, met with Michelle. We wanted to both hear of her plans, and to start the important CEO / MP relationship, crucial to ensure that support from the top helps back up her work to deliver the important services the NHS provides to us all.

I am impressed by Michelle. She is a straight talking Australian health professional who has risen through the ranks from being a nurse, to being a chief executive. She brings with her a wealth of experience from service delivery to service management, but she also brings with her a different perspective on delivering services. This is no bad thing. There are hundreds of NHS trusts across England, all doing things slightly differently. Our trust has done things differently in the past and ended up in huge problems. It is good to have fresh thinking. Michelle rightly points out that there is commonality around the world in what health services try to achieve – making ill and unhealthy people better.

Michelle has to tackle three important issues. Firstly, she must resolve the recruitment problems. Some parts of the Worcestershire Acute Trusts are very successful and there is no problem recruiting top quality people to fill vacant posts. But other departments have problems finding staff and so there is no continuity, relying on expensive locums. This must stop so tackling morale in these departments is key.

Secondly, she needs to resolve financial issues. Permanent staff will reduce some of the problem, as will tackling waste and inefficiencies. Completing the reorganisation that was started half a decade ago will also help. There will also be some money coming from central government that will be used for capital work to build capacity. Importantly, though, once the bad management practices of the past have been ironed out, we will be in a better position to see what extra cash is needed.

Finally, some internal systems need looking at, such as the crazy system that sees medical admissions having to go through the A+E department at Worcester.

I am optimistic about her ability to tackle these challenges, and more. The problems are not insignificant, but they are not insurmountable either.