11consultant survey produced record results for 2010, with 71% of consultants rating Spire Healthcare as 'excellent' or 'very good'. This represents an excellent improvement from the 51% score measured in 2008 and validates our strong locally-driven, relationship-based approach of working with consultants.It was equally pleasing that 90% of Spire Healthcare's patients rated our overall service 'excellent' or 'very good'. Within that result, 51% of patients rated us as 'excellent', compared with 44% on the same measures back in 2008. ConclusionIn summary, I am proud of what Spire Healthcare has achieved in 2010 and over the past three years. I believe the strong platform we have built over this time and the growth opportunities that have been created will be fully exploited by the incoming CEO, Rob Roger, as he drives this business forward. Rob moves into the CEO role from that of CFO and as such ensures continuity, having been a key part of the team that has produced three years of outstanding results at Spire Healthcare. Before joining Spire Healthcare in 2007, Rob was CFO at The Tussauds Group Ltd where he gained significant experience of leading mergers and acquisitions, including the sale of the company to Dubai International Capital and the merger of the company with Merlin Entertainment in 2007.Spire is a strong business with a great leadership team and I'm pleased we've been able to demonstrate strong growth during my tenure. I am returning to Australia to rejoin my family and I leave the company in very strong and capable hands.Rob Wise, Chief Executive Officerteam and devolving authority to hospitals, allowing them to run the business in a way that maximises local market opportunities and delivers increased value to the business.Service qualityWe take our responsibilities as a healthcare provider very seriously, putting staff wellbeing, patient safety and patient care at the forefront of all we do. Our business is about optimising outcomes for patients, which involves creating a framework for excellence and systems that deliver the best possible clinical results. We are continually striving for, and achieving, improvements in our clinical performance. For example, in 2010 the number of surgical site infections following hip and knee replacements fell by 20%. Over our full three years of operation as Spire our clinical performance indicators, including returns to theatre, unplanned transfers and readmissions, have remained exceptionally low.Our three-year trend of improvement in non-clinical health and safety bears testimony to the rigour we apply to meet regulatory requirements. We monitor the effectiveness of our health and safety policy by reviewing adverse events and carrying out risk assessments and audits. External audits of our results show the mean scores from 36 Spire hospitals have risen from 77% in 2006/07 to 84% in 2010*.ReputationConsultant and patient satisfaction with our services is fundamental to our success and we monitor their views closely. Again, I am delighted to report a three-year trend of steady improvement in these relationships. Our * Figure relates to the hospitals audited in each of the years stated. Measured on a scoring system used by H&S auditors, Jacobs Consultancy.

12Spire Healthcare Annual Review 2010Director of Clinical Services' statementOur ability to consistently deliver high-quality clinical care, results from the willingness of clinical teams to work collaboratively with consultants and Medical Advisory Committees to enable modern and safe practice to flourish.""