Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital part of the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group

Our chief executive, Daniel Elkeles, recently visited visited the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), part of the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group (NWUHG), which was formed in May 2025 and formally launches in December. It brings together under unified leadership, the NNUH along with James Paget University Hospitals in Gorleston, Great Yarmouth and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn, which has recently achieved teaching hospital status. 

Daniel said: “The hospitals have come together to achieve clinical sustainability to meet the needs of its large population and geography, which covers a predominantly rural and coastal system including areas with high levels of deprivation and an overall ageing demographic.

 “The group is adopting an evidence-based approach to its formation, drawing on lessons from other NHS group models and established hospital groups. Its structure includes site-based executive managing directors as voting members of the group board, supported by a risk-based assurance framework at the group level.

“It is at an early stage, but they are already some seeing advantages, including:

🔵 The management of the development of their new, shared EPR.

🔵 The development of joint clinical services across the three hospitals.

🔵 Shared approaches to research and innovation as they work towards realising a university hospital system. 

“Their orthopaedic team have worked with an Australian company OrthoDx to trial a new rapid turnaround test (Synvichor) that identifies if a patient’s joint pain relates to inflammation or infection. This is a game changer in avoiding unnecessary interventional procedures on patients. The results of this trial are now being evaluated by NHSE with a plan for large NHSE-supported rollout in the new year.
 
“The newly opened on site diagnostic centre brings the total number of CT and MRI scanners on the site to 18. When this capacity is fully operational, they are confident of achieving the cancer 28 day faster diagnostic standard.
 
“The hospital has focused on improving emergency care flow to eliminate both corridor care and ambulance handover delays. The virtual ward supports around 60 patients daily and has saved 60,000 bed days since it started during Covid-19. The team make full use of remote monitoring equipment and have recently launched a new pathway for women experiencing extreme sickness during pregnancy. The focus on reducing 'no criteria to reside' patients has enabled the closure of well over 100 beds with further reductions planned.
 
“Thank you so much to Jo, Chris, Lindy-Lee, Seshni, Charlotte, Claire, Iain, Adrian and team with a particular shout out to Ebrima in sterile services, for packing so much into one afternoon, the amount of innovation going on was fantastic to see!”