Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 23 April 2024 at 07:23
I would like to start by saying thank you to you all for your very hard work in responding to current demand for our services. Many of you are working extra shifts and I really value your support in helping to keep our patients and colleagues safe.
The performance dashboard for the last month has been published on Need to Know. The figures speak for themselves, and show the number of 999 calls we receive has increased by more than 8,000 and we attended nearly 2,000 extra calls during July. We are taking steps to increase capacity within our control centres and are working closely with partner organisations to help manage this demand – particularly focusing on working with those hospitals where we have seen significant handover delays. We will be drawing on support from partners within the military and fire services. Regardless of this I recognise the pressure that this is having on you and your teams.
During these times of high pressure it’s easy for us to ignore the impact this is having our own health and wellbeing and the whole Executive Team is keen to do everything we can to help you stay well. Last week, we reminded you about the wellbeing hubs within each of our ICS areas. These offer free, confidential help and advice to all health and social care staff, including enhanced mental health support. We are also encouraging managers to access the Trust’s charitable funds. This can be an excellent way to fund small projects to help people’s wellbeing – whether it’s some artwork to brighten up a rest area or a fridge to keep drinks cool.
The Executive Team have been out and about over the last week or so and we will continue these visits so that we can meet some of you and better understand the pressures and what we can do to best support you. We also want to hear from you and would value any suggestions as to ways in which we can support you better. Please do come and talk to us during one of our visits or email us at OCE.EEAST@eastamb.nhs.uk with your ideas.
Linked to this, Friday will see the opening of a wellbeing garden at our Longwater Station. It has been paid for with money raised by the Captain Sir Tom Moore fund, and made possible thanks to the hard work of a small group of staff volunteers who have revamped a piece of waste ground into a peaceful space where colleagues can take some time out.
Lastly, at the start of the week we announced Medipro as the Trust’s new education provider with responsibility for training our apprentices. We are currently making arrangements for our current and incoming apprentices to transfer over with as little disruption as possible. Again, I’d like to say thank you to all our apprentices for their patience and for the important contribution they make as very valued members of our teams.
Marcus Bailey
Chief Operating Officer
Published 12th August 2021