This is my first NELFT Talks blog post as acting chief executive and I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year. A huge thank you to colleagues, partners and volunteers who have been working tirelessly over the festive period. We experienced another busy Bank Holiday weekend across NELFT and the wider health and social care sector and I really do appreciate all the efforts you are making to ensure we deliver compassionate care and safe services to our patients, their loved ones and our local communities.

I know the festive and new year period can often be a difficult time for some people and is not always filled with the joy and happiness we hope for. It is so important to look after your own health and wellbeing and to seek support if you need it. If you are a colleague working across our health and care services in North East London and our wider NELFT services, please do remember that our Keeping Well NEL service provides wellbeing support for any colleagues who wish to access it. You can find out more about our Keeping Well NEL here. Keeping Well NEL

As you will be well aware, all NHS services are under increased pressure at present due to the impacts of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. I would like to encourage you to follow all infection, prevention control guidance when visiting/ working in any Trust sites, including wearing face coverings, social distancing and hand sanitising. Please note there have been changes to our visitor guidance, so please do check before visiting your loved one. (And I would of course like to encourage you to get your booster (or first or second vaccine if you haven’t already). We are supporting the vaccination drive across the communities we serve and you can visit our Romford Vaccination Centre for a walk-in booster if you have not been able to make an appointment. Map of North East London vaccination centres. Find a walk-in Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination site

Finally, I would like to thank you for the messages of congratulations and support I have received as I take on the acting chief executive role. I am proud to be leading the Trust at what I know is both a challenging and an exciting time for the NHS and I am really looking forward to working with you all. As we move into the first few days and weeks of 2022, please do make sure you are looking after yourselves and each other.

Take care and stay safe, 

Jacqui