Hello Summer – and Hello to a New Chapter!

Meteorological summer is here, and with it comes more change and opportunity. I’m excited to share that I’ve recently been appointed Interim Chief Medical Officer for NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB (SNEE), a role I’ll carry out alongside my existing position as Executive Medical Director for NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB (N&W).

The welcome I’ve received from colleagues in SNEE has been incredibly warm – thank you! I’ve also been struck by how similar the challenges and ambitions are across both systems. Today, I’d like to touch on three key areas we’re focusing on: dentistry, women’s health, and advice and guidance.

Tackling the Dentistry Deficit

This week I heard about the fantastic work happening across both ICBs to improve access to dental care – a vital area not just for today’s urgent needs, but also for long-term health. Poor oral health is linked to cardiovascular disease, some cancers, poor nutrition, and healthy weight challenges.

In Norfolk and Waveney:

• Around 8% of NHS 111 calls are from people needing urgent dental care.
• There are 1,500 emergency department visits and 5.7% of GP front door presentations linked to dental issues.
• In April alone, we provided 2,455 urgent dental appointments via NHS111 – with a DNA (Did Not Attend) rate of just 0.05%. Last year, that total was over 24,000 appointments, delivered as part of our new responsibility for dental commissioning.
• We’re also:
  • Recruiting dental practitioners and to the whole clinical team
  • Introducing a child-friendly practice accreditation
  • Developing targeted pathways for high-risk groups (e.g., cardiology and cancer patients)
  • Working with public health to improve oral health for children
  • Investing to improve access to reduce health inequalities in areas of greatest need

In Suffolk and North East Essex:

• We face similar issues, highlighted by the work of campaigners like Toothless in Suffolk.
• We’re delivering urgent care through 111 and increasing access via the community interest company (CiC) in Suffolk.
• We recently launched the SHINE campaign with Ipswich Town FC: a three-year initiative bringing six-week oral health programmes to targeted primary schools – covering brushing technique, sugar awareness, nutrition, and what to expect at the dentist. It’s all about Bright Smiles, Healthy Futures.

Women’s Health, Health Inequalities, and Learning from Each Other

On women’s health, both systems are focusing on upskilling the primary care workforce – particularly to improve access to menopause support and long-acting contraception. This aligns perfectly with our broader ambitions around women’s health improvement.

When it comes to health inequalities, I’m just starting to explore the different approaches we’re taking, but there’s real shared ambition. In both systems, we’re identifying and supporting people at risk of becoming high-intensity service users – often through neighbourhood-based, proactive care that addresses both clinical risks and wider determinants of health. It’s about prevention and personalisation, hand in hand.

We’re also learning from one another structurally. For instance, during a recent discussion with our Local Medical Committee (LMC) about amplifying primary care’s voice and improving our Therapeutics Advisory Group, we drew from the structure of SNEE’s equivalent, the Integrated Medicines Optimisation Committee (IMOC). Shared challenges, shared learning.

The Power of Advice and Guidance (A&G)

A big change this year: for the first time, the NHS planning framework incentivises primary care to use Advice and Guidance (A&G). This is brilliant news. A&G allows faster access to specialist insight, supports primary care decision-making, and reduces unnecessary referrals. All of this aligns with the wider goal of shifting care closer to the patient.

In Norfolk and Waveney:

• Mike Smith is leading the clinical side.
• Liz Joyce is leading a task and finish group to boost A&G activity.

In Suffolk and North East Essex:

• Ruth Bushaway is providing clinical leadership, with the three alliance teams driving operational delivery.

As we prepare for increased volumes of A&G requests, we want to ensure the system works brilliantly – for both clinicians and patients. Some of the ideas we’ve heard so far include:

• Easier image uploads
• Access to previous A&G conversations
• Going straight to tests where appropriate
• Avoiding “reply with another question” responses
• Clearer patient communications about the process

Done well, A&G has the power to reshape clinical practice, improve referral quality, and reduce avoidable activity. Even better – we plan to track emerging themes from A&G requests and use them to develop FAQs, targeted education, and improvement initiatives, both locally and system-wide.

Stay Well This Summer

This July, NHS Norfolk and Waveney and NHS Suffolk and North East Essex will launch their first joint summer campaign – a united effort to help people stay well throughout the warmer months. Timed just ahead of the school summer holidays, the campaign will offer practical health advice and clear signposting to local services, supporting both residents and the millions of visitors expected to enjoy our regions over the summer. From hay fever and insect bites to sunburn, heatstroke and dehydration, many common seasonal issues can be easily prevented or treated without needing to access NHS services. By helping people understand how to stay well and where to turn if they do need urgent help, the campaign aims to ease pressure on frontline teams and ensure services are available for those who need them most.

Final Thoughts

This is a big moment for me personally, and for both our systems collectively. Working across Norfolk and Waveney and Suffolk and North East Essex is a unique opportunity to share, learn and build together. I look forward to hearing more of your experiences, feedback, and ideas over the coming weeks.

As always – thank you for everything you’re doing.

Frankie