Published on: 24 August 2018

Chris Pearson.jpg

Hello everyone.

I’m delighted to be a guest blogger this week while Kevin is away.

The week started brilliantly as some family members and I completed the Morecambe Bay Walk last Sunday, in aid of our charity ELHT&Me. We had a lovely time and I think the other 97 people walking for ELHT&Me did too – there were of course other walkers as well.  It was a tough event but a lovely opportunity to connect with nature, and all for a good cause! Denise Gee, our fundraising manager, did a great job of looking after everybody and tells me our walkers have raised at least £1,000 and hopefully much more once sponsorship money is collected in. If you see the opportunity to join in an event and raise money for ELHT&Me – give it a go, it’s great fun and very rewarding. Well done Denise, keep up the great work.

We will be undergoing a CQC inspection starting next week. This will be fourth I have experienced here in ELHT since I came here in early 2014. Each time, one of the most satisfying things for me – I’m sure for all my Board colleagues – has been the enthusiastic way our staff have embraced the inspections and welcomed the spotlight that has been shone on them. The CQC have repeatedly told us that our staff focus groups are among the best attended they have seen.  I am really pleased that this time has been the same and turnout at the focus groups held during this last week was as high as ever.  Only the BME focus group was quiet and this was partly due to the fact the event coincided with Eid.  A further BME focus group is being held in September so I hope that you will go and share your views and experiences then.

We do know that our community services will be inspected next week by the CQC – and this will be the first time that community have been the focus (since I’ve been here). We have excellent services and can demonstrate some real innovations.  Our community nursing teams are really strong – strong leadership, skilled and compassionate staff and effective service delivery, often as part of an integrated package designed around the patient.  I know that our community staff will be eager to show how good they are and will have countless examples of excellence to share and I am glad that they are getting their opportunity to  ‘shine bright’.  I spent the day with our district Nurses in Haslingden on Monday, so I can say all of this with absolute confidence. You are all great – thank you.

Do you believe in miracles? I think we witnessed a miracle here this week.  A patient’s mum has written to us of her family’s immense gratitude to a whole army of staff from the ambulance service, Lancashire Womens and Newborns Centre at Burnley, Critical Care and NICU following a harrowing ordeal for them on Monday.  Thanks to superb teamwork and outstanding skill, compassion and professionalism, a mother and baby survived a considerable trauma – a miracle? Perhaps, or perhaps not, but I am so proud to be part of this amazing team that is ELHT, who make these amazing things happen. Well done to everyone who was involved, directly or indirectly. Read what a family member says here https://www.facebook.com/emma.lord.31. Best wishes to Charlotte and all her family.

Thank you for reading my blog and have a great bank holiday weekend.

Chris