I have been truly struck since I joined Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in May as Chief Executive by the desire and dedication of staff across the health and care system to work together to improve local services.
There is real passion to care for people as a whole, seeing both their mental health and physical needs and treating both with equal importance.
It is our ambition to create services which support people with mental illness, learning disabilities or autism to live well in their communities and to deliver the outstanding care that patients deserve.
We have a great base to work from after being rated Good overall and Outstanding for well-led by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in our November 2018 inspection, but there is always more we can do.
This year has been a year of innovation, transition and investment, with much more to come as we implement new services.
We have been particularly pleased with our success in gaining substantial new investment from NHS England. Lincolnshire has been identified as one of only 12 ‘early implementer’ sites across the country for testing new models of care for those with mental health problems. We will receive more than £6million over the next two years to radically redesign how our community mental health services operate and integrate dedicated mental health workers within local primary care and neighbourhood teams. Initially this will be in Boston, Gainsborough, Grantham and Lincoln South, but with the desire to be countywide in the future.
As part of new funding we also have the opportunity to pilot several new services. A new community mental health rehabilitation team is under development to support people with their transition home after extended periods of time in hospital and help prevent future hospital admission.
The other area is the development of a specialist service for people with a personality disorder. This has been a significant gap locally and one we know will greatly improve patient experience. The services will initially be piloted in Lincoln and Gainsborough, but once both are proving to be beneficial we will look to expand wider.
We are also improving crisis services, increasing mental health support to schools, further developing our home treatment provision for older adults, dementia support, specialist mental health support for Lincoln’s rough sleepers, perinatal services, as well as working with the local criminal justice system. A new mental health helpline will be launched, with Mental Health Matters, something people told us would be helpful when they are struggling with emotional wellbeing.
With this significant investment comes an opportunity for those already working in the NHS, but also people thinking about a career in health services. There has never been a better time to join us with a wide variety of roles available now and over the next few months. NHS Jobs has current vacancies.
There are so many exciting things happening that I’m sure when I reflect again next year we will be in an even better place and I look forward to seeing how services continue to develop.
I’d like to finally take the opportunity to thank the compassionate and dedicated staff in LPFT, and across the whole health and care system for consistently putting patients at the heart of everything they do. I’m sure you will all want to join me in thanking them.
Brendan Hayes is the Chief Executive of the Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
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Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) has confirmed plans to jet-wash blocked gullies in Leadenham following persistent flooding, which has left residents and businesses in constant fear of property damage during heavy rainfall.
The council intends to jet the A607 outside Leadenham Post Office as an urgent measure to mitigate ongoing flood risks, with a full clean scheduled for January. The announcement comes after a plea from Leadenham Parish Councillor Martyn Everett, who highlighted significant flooding along Sleaford Road.
A senior lecturer recently celebrated the news that East Midlands Railway will increase its train capacity on what he felt was an “overcrowded” service between Lincoln and Leicester.
Amir Badiee lives in Loughborough and for the past seven years has been commuting to his job at the University of Lincoln, but over the last two years he believes the train service has got worse. When he complained back in March he said he didn’t receive any response, but he believes his recent concerns aired in The Lincolnite helped to prompt a positive outcome.
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