Visit to East London NHS Foundation Trust

On Thursday this week the NHS 10-year health plan was launched by the Prime Minister, Chancellor and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in Stratford, North East London. And our chair Professor Sir Terence Stephenson and chief executive Daniel Elkeles visited the local community and mental health provider for the area – East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT).

It was clear that ELFT is already delivering much of what the plan sets out to achieve.

Daniel said: "We heard about a pilot 24/7 neighbourhood service in Tower Hamlets shifting care from mental health inpatient settings to the community. This innovative service has been co-produced by East London NHS Foundation Trust, local service users, Look Ahead, and the Tower Hamlets Mental Health Alliance. It aims to provide timely, person-centred interventions, including short-stay ‘hospitality’ beds, helping to prevent crisis escalation, reduce A&E attendances, and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions."

Daniel and Terence also heard about:

🔵The three GP practices run by ELFT to work with underserved and vulnerable populations, including people experiencing homelessness.

🔵Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) embedding in community services  to improve access. CAMHS inpatient care and outcomes improvements across North Central and East London via the Provider Collaborative that is co-led by Participation Champions. 

🔵Progress in expanding and enhancing perinatal mental health services.

🔵In Bedfordshire, ELFT’s community team have successfully piloted an acute hospital in reach pathway and reduced the number of number of medically fit for discharge days by 50% for those waiting for intermediate care community beds by integrating more closely with the local hospital.

🔵Meanwhile in Newham, the trust has partnered with the local council to create 'family navigator roles' - not only signposting parents to help but actively supporting them to access services.

"It was inspiring to hear about so many improvements already being delivered and so aligned with the spirit of the 10-year health plan.

Thank you to Lorraine, Eileen and the team for such an insightful visit."