Welcome to October’s blog. As we move into autumn, I want to acknowledge the pace of change across our ICB and the wider NHS, and to thank colleagues in Norfolk, Suffolk and North East Essex for everything you’re doing for our patients and communities.

Thinking Big in a Time of Change

We are living through a period of significant change for the ICB and the wider NHS. Across Norfolk, Suffolk and North East Essex, we are already doing the hard work to shape the future — and as a new executive team, our focus is clear: to deliver positive impact at scale and create a legacy we can be proud of.

Norfolk and Waveney ICB, together with Suffolk and North East Essex ICB, have much to be proud of. Our aim is to build on this strong foundation — not to start again from scratch. We are bringing together the best of our existing joint forward plans, alongside our ICS clinical and population health management strategies, to shape the Population Health and Commissioning Strategy for our new ICB. This strategy will serve as our guiding star. It isn’t finalised yet, but our three big ambitions will be around improving healthy life expectancy for all, reducing health inequalities, and improving access to consistently high-quality services.

We have also decided to take a life course approach to set the outcomes we want the services we commission to achieve – from supporting children to start well, helping our population to make healthy lifestyle choices, through to ensuring compassionate care at the end of life. While the detail is still developing, the direction of travel is clear: focus on the needs that matter most, and create better, fairer outcomes for the communities we serve.

New Dental Pathway

We have also launched a new dental pathway for patients on cancer and cardiac pathways. For these patients, being “dentally fit” is essential before treatment such as chemotherapy or heart surgery can begin – but for those without a dentist, this could mean delays to vital care.

To prevent this, we have commissioned Shared Care Dental Practices who will contact patients within three days and provide assessment and treatment quickly so their specialist care can proceed safely. For urgent or medically complex cases, hospital dental teams will step in directly. This is another example of where system-level working can prevent inequalities and improve patient outcomes.

Tackling Racism and Discrimination

One of our biggest ongoing challenges is tackling racism and discrimination in the NHS. Last year’s national NHS staff survey showed experiences of discrimination, particularly based on ethnicity, are at a five-year high. This is simply unacceptable.

NHS England has reinforced the zero-tolerance message this month, adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and reminding us of the equal importance of tackling Islamophobia, racism and other forms of hatred. National training on equality, diversity and inclusion will be strengthened, and all staff will be expected to refresh this as soon as it becomes available.

Locally, we are supporting this with campaigns to make clear that abuse and discrimination will not be tolerated, and we are encouraging practices to sign up as Safe Surgeries so that barriers such as ID or immigration status do not prevent people registering with a GP.

Leadership is not just about what we say at the top – it is about the choices we all make, every day. Allies are needed more than ever. That might mean challenging inappropriate comments, checking in with a colleague who looks like they are struggling, or supporting someone to access formal reporting routes. Small acts of solidarity matter.

To our patients and communities: NHS staff are here to care for you, often at the most difficult moments in your lives. Abuse, racism and discrimination directed at NHS colleagues will never be tolerated. Please treat our workforce with the respect and kindness they deserve. Together, we can make our health services a place of safety and compassion for everyone.

Primary Care – Jess’s Rule

I also want to take a moment to recognise the work happening in primary care around Jess’s Rule. This initiative asks GPs and wider primary care teams to pause and reflect when a patient presents three times with the same or worsening symptoms. It’s a simple but powerful prompt to think again, review the case in more detail, and consider whether further investigation is needed.

The rule was developed following the tragic death of teenager Jess Anderson, whose cancer went undiagnosed despite multiple GP appointments. Her family’s campaign has led to this national change, designed to support earlier diagnosis and better outcomes for patients.

I’m hugely grateful to colleagues across Norfolk, Suffolk and North East Essex who have embraced Jess’s Rule with such care and professionalism. By putting it into practice, you are not only honouring Jess’s memory, but also strengthening patient safety and ensuring that concerns are not missed.

Vaccinations and Staff Survey

A reminder that flu and COVID-19 vaccination programmes are now underway. These are the single most important interventions we can deliver to keep people well and reduce winter pressures. Please do everything you can to encourage uptake.

And if you’ve received an invitation to complete the NHS Staff Survey, please take the time to fill it in. Your feedback is essential in shaping the future of our NHS and making it the best possible place to work.

Thank you, as always, for all that you do.

Warm regards,
Frankie