I’m delighted to introduce myself as Chief Executive of NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB (NWICB) and NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB (SNEE ICB), and to launch this new series of monthly blogs.

Each month I’ll be sharing stories and updates on the progress we’re making together – highlighting just some of the achievements, challenges and improvements shaping care for our communities. There is of course far more great work happening every day right across the area, and I look forward to shining a light on more of it in future updates. These blogs will be framed around the three shifts of the NHS 10-year plan: moving care from hospital to community, harnessing digital innovation, and focusing on prevention.

From Hospital to Community

Norfolk and Waveney‘s Talking Therapies mobile service vehicle is a brilliant example of bringing support directly into communities. NHS Talking Therapies is a free, confidential service for adults, offering evidence-based treatment for common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression through one-to-one sessions, group therapy and online courses. Fully accessible and equipped with a private clinical space, the mobile service is already supporting patients at community events and local hubs – helping to reduce stigma and remove the need for long journeys to access therapy.

I’m also pleased to share that the West Suffolk, Ipswich and East Suffolk and North East Essex Alliances have been selected to join the national neighbourhood health implementation programme. The SNEE ICB is the only system in the country with full coverage across every area we serve, and through this programme we will strengthen neighbourhood working by joining up services more effectively around local places. By focusing care in the community, with greater emphasis on prevention and targeted interventions, we can support people to live longer, healthier lives at home and reduce the need for unplanned hospital or social care. Importantly, we’ll also benefit from national support including expert coaching, workshops and peer learning, which will help us accelerate these plans.

In Norfolk and Waveney, neighbourhood health work continues to develop, and our trailblazing ‘place’ is Great Yarmouth and Waveney. The partnership working there is exemplary: a notable recent example is East Suffolk Council and the NWICB Estates Team have worked together to secure a record £4.2m investment for Beccles Medical Centre, which will fund a major extension with ten new consultation rooms and provide much-needed space for primary care teams to expand as demand grows.

Equally exciting is Hawthorn Surgery in Greenstead reopening following extensive renovation work which has almost doubled its space, including 12 consultation and treatment rooms, and a dedicated group room for long-term condition support sessions. The project marks the completion of the first phase of the Heart of Greenstead regeneration scheme, supported by £573,000 of NHS funding alongside a £6 million Government Town Deal investment through Colchester City Council – all designed to make essential services work better for local people in one of our more deprived communities.

From Analogue to Digital

Digital innovation is transforming the way we deliver care, helping us provide safer, faster and more joined-up services.

At the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), colleagues have been recognised on the national stage with an HSJ Patient Safety Award. Their pioneering work includes the use of virtual care in maternity services, enabling expectant mothers with conditions such as hyperemesis gravidarum to receive support from home rather than needing to be admitted. This approach has improved patient experience, reduced hospital stays, and freed up capacity for those who need it most. The hospital’s falls prevention training, which uses innovative video learning developed with patients, also received national commendation, showing how digital tools can improve both safety and staff confidence.

Patients at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust can now access their hospital records through a new app and website called MyChart. The system allows people to view their medical information, manage appointments, and contact their care team, giving patients greater control and understanding of their healthcare. MyChart is part of the Trust’s new Epic electronic patient record system, which also streamlines services behind the scenes – reducing duplication, saving staff time, and ultimately improving safety and efficiency for patients. I wanted to put on record my thanks to all the team at ESNEFT for their roll out of the new patient record system, which is a huge achievement and will improve care for generations to come.

Investment in community diagnostic centres is speeding up access to vital tests, cutting waits and improving care. In its first year, the King’s Lynn centre carried out over 35,000 scans including MRI, CT, X-ray and ultrasound, while the new Northgate centre in Great Yarmouth has already delivered hundreds of CT scans and has recently expanded to offer cardiac, sleep and lung function tests.

These examples show how digital transformation isn’t just about new equipment or systems – it’s about rethinking how we deliver care in a way that works better for patients, professionals and the wider NHS.

From Sickness to Prevention

Prevention is at the heart of building a healthier future. Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations have now begun to help ‘winter-proof’ those most at risk, with cases of both viruses already on the rise. This year the NHS is making it easier than ever to get protected – from early booking and walk-in clinics to new mobile vaccination vans. Additionally, for the first time, parents can take their two- and three-year-olds to local pharmacies for a flu vaccination, as well as to their GP. In Norfolk and Waveney, 37 pharmacies have signed up to provide the service.

The annual Stoptober campaign has also returned, and across our health and care systems we are making strong progress in reducing smoking rates. Maternity services are driving down smoking in pregnancy, with rates falling to 6.4% in Norfolk and Waveney and to 4% in Suffolk and North East Essex which is a great improvement. Specialist support, incentive schemes and tailored care are helping families to stay smoke free. At the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, a new tobacco dependency treatment pathway is helping inpatients to quit smoking with practical advice, nicotine replacement therapy, and follow-up support after discharge.

Screening services are expanding, with a new mobile breast screening unit now helping rural communities in Norfolk and the wider programme screening around 30,000 women each year. Lung cancer screening is also making a big impact: in Norfolk and Waveney, 72 cancers have been detected so far – nearly 70% at an early stage – while units in Suffolk and North East Essex have identified over 60, with further rollout planned in 2025 and 2026. These services are helping people stay healthier for longer and reducing the need for more intensive treatment.

Celebrating Our People and Communities

This month also brings cause for celebration. The Care Quality Commission has recognised the improvements at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, with adult community services now rated ‘good’ – a real testament to the commitment of staff.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Frailty Same Day Emergency Care Unit is celebrating its first anniversary, having supported more than 3,000 older and frail patients over the past year. The majority of patients have been able to return home the very same day, avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions and supporting faster recovery and improved wellbeing.

Meanwhile, the Norfolk Walking Aid Recycling Scheme has been shortlisted for a National Recycling Award, after collecting and refurbishing old walking aids for reuse in the NHS. In just nine months it has saved nearly 16,000kg of carbon emissions – the equivalent of 29,000 car miles – while also creating opportunities for training and rehabilitation.

Looking ahead, it’s great to see a Social Enterprise Day ‘Showcase’ event is taking place in Norwich on 20 November, which will bring together more than 50 organisations using business as a force for good to strengthen communities and tackle inequality. It’s a reminder that health is about much more than hospitals and clinics – it’s about the wider social fabric that supports people every day.

Thank You

As I close this first blog, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all health and care staff working across Norfolk and Suffolk. I know how busy and pressured this period is, and I am constantly inspired by your dedication and compassion.

Together we are laying the foundations of a stronger, healthier future for Norfolk, Suffolk and North East Essex. I look forward to sharing more progress with you in next month’s update.

Best wishes,

Ed