STAFF from the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust along with descendants of Trooper Frederick Potts VC, held an official opening ceremony for a brand-new clinical space named in his honour.
Officially opened by Mr Andrew Try, Lord Lieutenant for the Royal County of Berkshire, the Frederick Potts Unit is the result of a £17 million investment in elective recovery and months of work focussed on providing the best patient care and experience.
The unit, named in honour of Reading’s only recipient of the Victoria Cross, is home to teams including the Trust’s Urology Procedures department.
Having opened its doors to patients as a clinical space in beginning of July, the team have already made good use of it, running 418 clinics for nearly 3,000 patients.
The new space was built with a strong emphasis on the clinical environment patients are seen in, the working conditions staff deliver care in, and minimising the impact of the build on the natural environment.
It features spacious waiting areas, six examination rooms, an ultrasound scanning suite and large treatment room, with office spaces and breakout room for staff based there, topped off with solar panels and a living ‘green roof’.
Steve McManus, Chief Executive at the Trust, said: “It was a privilege to be joined by Frederick’s grandchildren and great grandchildren to open this unit, his bravery, staying on the frontline to save a fellow soldier shows the true meaning of being part of a team.
“As a team of 7,000 staff and volunteers, I know this new space, made possible with nationally allocated funding, will allow us to provide better care to more patients, and I hope our community can see that we are continuing to invest the services we provide to them.”
Richard Burgess, one of Frederick Potts’ grandchildren, said: “It was very special, a remarkable tribute to a remarkable, gentle man.
“We were very impressed with the new unit– a place of spaciousness, where patient dignity is restored, and it was also lovely to see that staff have well-deserved rest areas set aside for them too.”
