This week I want to thank colleagues across the Trust for all you are doing to support our patients and the delivery of safe services as I know we are feeling the pressures of winter, particularly as we work to support our acute trust colleagues and their busy emergency departments. I would like to assure you that we are working hard with our partners to look at how we can improve processes to reduce these pressures where possible.

As well as working with our acute trust partners, we continue to work with our mental health and community health partners across north east London, Essex and Kent. In Mid and South Essex I was delighted to see the publication of the Mid and South Essex Community Collaborative ‘Our Journey So Far’ report that details the innovation and collaboration we are undertaking with Essex Partnership University Hospitals NHS Trust and Provide Community Interest Company. Thank you to all our colleagues who have been working across services in this patch to improve access and to better integrate services. You can read more here.

Last week our Executive Management Team met with our counterparts from East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) to continue conversations about how we can work together across the Mental Health, Autism and Learning Disability Collaborative and the Community Collaborative in north east London to benefit our communities and our workforce. I am looking forward to sharing more about this work with you over the coming months.

As you know, as part of this work to maximise our collaboration we have been looking to appoint a joint chair across NELFT and ELFT. Our Council of Governors, who are responsible for making this appointment, have appointed Eileen Taylor into the position, working with Governors from ELFT. Eileen is currently acting Chair at ELFT and will be stepping into the new role on 1 January 2023. You can read more about this here. I am looking forward to working with Eileen when she joins and supporting her to get to know more about our services and communities across Essex, Kent and London.

It’s always lovely to be able to celebrate the great work happening across NELFT and I’m proud we have been awarded the Working Well Essex Level 1 Accreditation by Essex County Council, recognising our commitment to health and wellbeing. Read more here. Last week it was also the Nursing Times Awards and NELFT was shortlisted for our Leaders Empowered to Achieve Potential (LEAP) Programme in the Diversity and Inclusion category. We didn’t win on the night but as you know, you are all winners in my eyes! You can find out about the shortlist here.

Finally I will end in my usual way, reminding you all to look after your own health and wellbeing and that of each other. You can access wellbeing support via KeepingWell NEL.

Take care and stay safe

Jacqui

Jacqui Van Rossum

Chief Executive (Acting)