Published on: 2 October 2020

Kevin McGee Sept 2020 2 - Copy.jpg

Hello everyone,

Today I am aiming my message squarely and directly to all staff because I want to say a huge and personal thank you to each and every one of you. I also want to reiterate my regular message to you - you matter, and I care about you and your wellbeing.

Although we are over six months on from the beginning of the COVID pandemic, and tremendous progress is being made in restoring our services, I am very conscious that we remain in an extremely challenging position and life - especially work life - is really tough at the moment. You all have so much to be proud of - not least for your incredible resilience. We need that resilience now more than ever as we face winter, the increasing amounts of 'normal' work and the rising rate of COVID infections.

It is so important that we all look out for, and look after, each other at the moment. Be there for your colleagues; take advantage of the support that is available; take your breaks and leave entitlements; and wherever possible, rest. Looking after each other also includes being meticulous about safety, always. This means rigorously appropriate use of PPE and sticking to the rules around social distancing. You will be doing your colleagues a favour by this, and also pointing out any lapses. We are role models and we need to help our friends and families understand that whilst restrictions and rules can be tiresome, observing them greatly impacts on reducing spread of the infection. Take every opportunity to reinforce the messages about hand hygiene, face coverings and keeping space between people.

This month presents many opportunities for you to positively inFLUence our Trust. The FLU vaccination programme is well under way and I want to thank you all for your enthusiasm in getting your jab. Our fantastic team have already vaccinated 43% of our staff. That really is amazing and puts us well on course to continue our unrivalled success in this yearly campaign. Our target this year is to vaccinate 94.8% of staff but the early indications would suggest we may exceed this. How fantastic if we could reach 100%. More information about when and where you can get your vaccination is available here. Well done to all concerned and please, keep up the great work.

October is also Freedom to Speak Up month. As one of the first Trusts to appoint a FTSU Guardian I can safely say we are totally committed to supporting our staff to 'if they see something, say something'. Patient and staff safety is our priority; it is the most prominent of our values; raising concerns is encouraged. There are various ways to do this but ultimately, our FTSU Team is there for you and your confidentiality is assured. I've no doubt you'll be hearing a lot more about their work as we progress through the month.

The National Staff Survey is another opportunity for you to 'speak up', not just to raise concerns, but to tell us about your feelings, your views and your ideas. Without this feedback from you, we cannot continue to get things right for you. So please, fill it in.

Finally, but no less importantly, next week sees the second ELHT Festival of Inclusion. This is a really exciting series of (virtual) events to celebrate and promote the diversity of our workforce. It's a welcome and necessary opportunity for us all to learn about each other, to increase knowledge and understanding, and to recognise the vital contribution made to the Trust by our colleagues with protected characteristics. It's also Black History Month so I want to say a heartfelt thank you to our colleagues from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, past and present. ELHT would not be what it is without your contribution and we are committed to listening to you and to continuing to improve your working experiences.

Colleagues, now more than ever before, we need to stand together; to look after ourselves and each other; and to make your feelings about the Trust and working here known. Like you, I want to see ELHT recognised as outstanding, and I want you all to be happy and satisfied in your work.

I wish you a great weekend, and if you are working, stay safe.

Kevin