SOUTHEND Hospital bosses are rolling up their sleeves and working with frontline staff on the wards.

Each fortnight every member of the executive team at Southend Hospital will be out and about in wards and departments working alongside staff on the front line.

It is hoped the two-hour ‘back to the floor’ stints will help give the whole team an insight into what happens in that area and how it links into the trust values: everybody matters, everything counts, everyone’s responsible.

First over the parapet was medical director Neil Rothnie, who spent two hours with porters, who are a vital link in the smooth running of every part of the hospital.

Mr Rothnie worked as a hospital porter 40 years ago and was therefore keen to get stuck in and get hands on experience of a modern porter’s role.

Changing into a polo shirt he helped move some desks in the surgical department, transfer a patient from cardiac day stay to a ward, as well as learning the ropes about the diverse range of jobs and challenges that porters face daily.

He said: “Our porters are an essential part of the smooth running of the hospital so it was great for me to see how the team works and to recognise the pressures that they are under. They are intrinsic to our success, but their contribution frequently goes unrecognised.”

During the exercise Mr Rothnie discovered the polo shirt and pushing a trolley gave him a degree of anonymity, often passing colleagues in the corridor who no longer recognised him.