Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has managed to strengthen its position over the last year despite a challenging financial environment, its annual meeting was told.

Chairman David Richardson welcomed around 80 people to the Sovereign Lecture Theatre at Bradford Royal Infirmary for the meeting and said that among his highlights was the trust’s strong financial position.

His introduction was followed by a presentation by chief executive Bryan Millar, the trust’s former financial director who was attending his seventh annual meeting, but his first as chief executive.

He spoke of the achievements of the last year including the project Going Digital which has seen the introduction of text message reminders for outpatients and free wi-fi for patients. There will also be the introduction of electronic medical records which will be instantly accessible to all clinicians and make services faster and more efficient for patients.

Mr Millar said the trust’s first priority was quality and safety and the trust’s Safe! campaign and Patients First initiative had led to improvements in all areas of the trust.

He said: “These ensure that quality is at the centre of everything we do.”

He highlighted the opening of a dignity room and the award-winning maternity services home birth workshops as great examples of what staff can do to improve the patient experience. Mr Millar said the trust’s excellent training facilities were producing the next generation of doctors and £7.5 million of research income had been generated.

“I have been proud to be part of the achievement listed,” he said.

The trust’s finance director Matthew Horner outlined the annual accounts which showed the trust’s total income for the year 2011-12 was £344 million and the trust achieved a surplus of £7.4million.

The trust delivered a capital programme of £7.9 million.

Consultant surgeon Mark Steward, vice-chairman of the trust’s board of governors, welcomed former Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Naveeda Ikram , as their new partner governor from Bradford Council.

The public asked questions including about the availability of chaplains for volunteers, and the trust’s commitment to providing more midwife-led care.