Thursday 22nd December: Executive message from Tom Abell, Chief Executive Officer

Critical business continuity incident

UPDATE - We are no longer in a critical incident, please see this article on Need to Know for the latest update.

You will now be aware that due to further significant pressure on our service the Trust has been escalated to a critical business continuity incident. We took this decision on Tuesday following a combination of a continued increase in demand, acuity of patients and further significant handover delays at our hospitals. 

We shared details on NTK about what this means for us and our patients and you can find that information here. We know there are many other trusts up and down the country sharing this experience, but that does not make it any easier, less frustrating or any less tiring for us all.

Despite increased pressure bringing yet more challenges, it is also a time when we see what a strong, professional, dedicated team we have here at EEAST. I know that you will all continue to put our patients first and ensure that they get the very best care even in these difficult times. The difference you are making is huge, and you should all be incredibly proud, I certainly am to work alongside you.   

In the NTK message I asked that you continue to support each other and to please make use of the wellbeing support we have available via NTK. We want everyone at EEAST to know where the resources are should they ever need them which is why we regularly share the link with you. Perhaps, if you already have it saved, you could check that your colleagues have done the same.

 

Industrial action

Yesterday we saw ambulance service colleagues around the country taking industrial action. I know for many of you, this is something you feel very strongly about. Whilst we did not have any strikes taking place within EEAST, we understand that these beliefs are felt just as keenly by many colleagues.

It has been incredibly difficult to be certain what impact this strike and the action also being taken by our nursing colleagues would have across the region. It has taken many hours of planning and discussion, at a time when we are already under constant pressure, to ensure we have enough resilience to be able to continue providing care to our patients. Thank you to everyone who has assisted with the planning and roll-out of these plans, and to those of you who are changing your way of working or supporting in an alternative role to help.

I have no doubt that the impact of the action will be felt for several days to come and may be seen well into the Christmas period, but we will do all we can to keep providing the very best care for our patients and much-needed support for all of you.  

Christmas films

This week we shared a film created for the Christmas period by a team based at Cambridge Ambulance Station. It’s never easy to leave friends and family to come into work over Christmas, especially when some of the situations you face are challenging, but the job you do is a critical one and I hope this film captures how grateful we all are for what you do. A special thanks goes to Ben Brayshaw, EMT in Cambridge who came up with the idea for the film and produced and directed it, and to those members of Team EEAST and their families who had a starring role.

Keep an eye out for another film that we’ll be sharing this week, featuring a special soundtrack with words by Melissa Dowdeswell, our Director of Nursing, Safety and Quality and sung by Gita Prasad, our (classically trained!) Director of Business and Partnerships. You might also spot a few faces that you recognise. Thank you to the teams from CallEEAST and Clacton Ambulance Station who took part. 

 

Thanks to the Chair

As we announced this morning our Chair, Nicola Scrivings, will be stepping down from her role in the new financial year. I would like to thank her for her commitment and dedication to improving our organisation over the past three years, and we will continue to build on that in the future.

Thank You Thursday

'I would like to thank the crew who attended to me. They have been friendly, kind, helpful and respectful. I would like to commend the staff. They had been professional and I cannot thank them enough'

From a very thankful patient in north Bedfordshire

 

Take care

Tom

Published 22nd December 2022