I’d like to start my blog this week by saying how heart-warming it was to see and hear so many thank yous and acknowledgements being shared across the organisation as part of our NELFT Thank You Week last week. It was lovely to hear from colleagues how much a meaningful thank you can really brighten the day and remind us all why we are here.

It was our first Board meeting of 2023 this week and the first that has been chaired by Eileen, our new Chair. She thanked our Vice Chair, Sultan Taylor, for his work as acting Chair since April 2022. She also set out her vision to improve access and outcomes for patients and communities, and equity of opportunities for colleagues across the Trust.

We also heard from Emma, one of our peer support workers in Waltham Forest, who shared her own personal mental health experience as well as her insights on the importance of peer support. It was very inspiring to hear Emma’s story and it is clear there are lots of opportunities in the peer support and coproduction space to continue to make improvements for people who use our services. It was also great to hear about the training and support offered in partnership between NELFT and Mind.

Partnership working is key to being able to deliver the best possible outcomes for our communities. I was pleased that our East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) and NELFT executive team discussions on Friday led to some priority areas being identified where we know that working together will have positive impacts for patients and colleagues. We agreed we would start to scope out work around our falls services and also our clinical records systems to start to test out opportunities to collaborate further.

In the Mid and South Essex Community Collaborative, the latest leadership engagement forum took place this week and included an update on our vision to improve, integrate and innovate by enabling our colleagues to work together in an easier way. There was also an update from the recent work across community nursing services where there has been lots of progress supporting colleagues across the three organisations (NELFT, Essex Partnership University NHS Trust and Provide CIC) to work together to share learning, make improves and support each other.

As always, I will finish by encouraging you all to look after yourselves and each other. Please do access the support we have available if you need it and do let us know if there is anything you think we could promote or make available that would improve your wellbeing.

Take care and stay safe.

Jacqui

Jacqui Van Rossum
Chief Executive (Acting)