Planning for the future

It’s been an exceptionally busy start to 2025 across our Trust, and we know across the country there is a lot of pressure on NHS services with high levels of winter illnesses including flu, as well as other viruses.Our teams are working hard to improve the flow of patients throughout the hospital, meaning that we discharge patients who are ready to go home or onto other community-based services, to prevent crowding in our Emergency Departments whilst giving the best possible care to patients.As part of this, we have initiated part of our winter plan to open temporary escalation beds to help with the flow of patients throughout our hospital during this exceptionally busy winter period. This ward is being funded by Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board and it is intended that this area will only remain operational for up to two months.

You can help us to keep our services available for those in need of acute medical care. The Warm and Well campaign provides essential tips to keep you safe during the colder months, visit www.winterwellnorfolkwaveney.co.uk to find out more. If you need care but don’t have life-threatening symptoms like chest pain, breathing difficulties, signs of a stroke or bleeding that won’t stop, you can call NHS 111 or speak to your GP practice or pharmacist.In my last column, I talked about investment in technology making a difference to our patients. Since the launch of our digital letters and text messages in February last year we’ve seen a reduction in the number of patients who do not attend appointments. Currently, almost 70% of our patients are opted in for using digital letters with many telling us it’s easier to keep track of without lots of paper.We operate a digital-first policy, but not digital only. Patients are automatically opted in to receive a digital letter however if they choose not to interact with the message within 24 hours, the digital letter is converted to paper and sent in the post. If you’d rather receive a paper copy or would like support understanding how digital letters work you can contact appt.letters@qehkl.nhs.uk

Plans for our New QEH continue to take shape. In November last year, we appointed a team of experts, who specialise in healthcare design, as our design team. This group have a wealth of experience in healthcare design for major national and international projects and will be driving forward designs for the new hospital this year. Plans and final designs are continuing for our multi-storey car park, which will be built in one phase with work expected to start in mid-2025, with completion expected in mid-2026. This allows for us to begin work on the main hospital building in mid-2026. Our focus remains the same as always planned – to open the doors to a New QEH in 2030. Anyone who has visited us in the last month may have seen our new all-weather buggies offering lifts around our car park. Swifty and Hopper, named as part of a public competition, have been generously funded by our League of Friends Charity. Since the patient buggy service was introduced in September 2023, patients have had nothing but high praise for the fantastic team of volunteer drivers, with some calling it our ‘best ever idea’ for patient experience and a service that ‘takes the dread out of the hill’.The two new buggies will also be operating on an extended route around the hospital site between 9am and 3.30pm Monday to Friday and will continue to improve accessibility for both patients and visitors. Please do look after yourselves over the coming months as we work our way through the cold winter months, and do let us know if you think we could do something different.