I would like to start this week by thanking colleagues across NELFT and the wider health and social care services who worked over the Bank Holiday weekend to keep our patients safe. I hope those of you who didn’t work managed to enjoy the additional day off. I enjoyed seeing the pictures on social media of the artwork and creative activities that our patients got involved in to mark the Coronation, I was very impressed by the talents of many of our patients and colleagues that were on display.

Friday is International Nurses Day and as I mentioned last week, it is an opportunity for us to recognise and acknowledge the work of our nursing colleagues at NELFT and in the wider NHS. We are hosting an internal event open to all colleagues and I hope to see many of Team NELFT there. It is also Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Week 2023 this week and the theme is Diverse and Inclusive Together. There is lots of work happening across the Trust in this area and while I know we can always do more to improve, I am proud of our equality, diversity and inclusion work.  

We’re halfway through Dying Matters week and the theme this year from Hospice UK is ‘Dying Matters in the Workplace’. This is very much around creating open and compassionate conversations and the opportunity to feel comfortable to share the reality of our own experiences of death, dying and grief. We spend a lot of time at work and as we experience personal grief and bereavement, we want to promote how important it is for our teams to feel supported. If you are experiencing bereavement, please do consider talking to your colleagues and also accessing the support networks that we have in NELFT. I would like to thank our NELFT End of Life Care team who have been raising awareness of this important topic over on social media and sharing advice about how to have compassionate conversations and offer support.

As you know, many colleagues are getting active this month as part of The Health Way Foundation Step Challenge. May is clearly all about getting moving and supporting our charity as we also have colleagues taking part in the Ride London event at the end of the month. Good luck and thank you for supporting our charity. Read more here.

As always, please do make sure you look after your own health and wellbeing and that of each other.

Many thanks

Caroline