In this issue of Trusttalk, you will see that a number of our staff have won national awards. I would like to congratulate our Chief People Office Tanya Carter on winning the HPMA's Human Resource Director of the Year, and her team for following this up by winning the Human Resources Team of the Year Award too.  The London Pathway Partnership Programme was announced as the first-prize winner at the 2022 London Homelessness Awards, and Bedfordshire Community Nursing Team Lead Laura Kirkman, received a Cavell Star Award in recognition of the caring environment she has put in place to support her team. I must admit, reading about it, I'd love to work in Laura's team! Her approach is one we should all adopt.  Congratulations too to all those teams who were shortlisted for and successful in the annual HSJ awards and a range of other awards ceremonies over the last few months.

We were delighted to welcome Newham MP Sir Stephen Timms to open our new gym at the Newham Centre for Mental Health. And we have installed the first of a series of COVID commemorative plaques to honour the incredible response of our staff during the pandemic and remember those we sadly lost.

You will see that our Acting Chair Eileen Taylor has been appointed as Joint Chair across North East London NHS Trust (NELFT) and ourselves. She will take up this new role on 1 January 2023. We already work very closely with NELFT in managing our services, as we do with a number of partner organisations to provide inpatient care close to where people live regardless of which trust provides the bed.   This is very much in line with the advent of Integrated Care Systems both in East London, and in Luton and Bedfordshire, in which organisational boundaries will be less pronounced in the future as we work more as one NHS to surround the individual service user/patient with the right package of care for them.

The cold temperatures we have been experiencing bring to the fore the challenges our staff and local communities face as the cost of living crisis deepens. Many councils have set up 'Warm Havens' as spaces that anyone can go to stay warm. Council websites also have details on how to get financial support with heating costs. We are also seeing cases of Flu and COVID increasing, so please do take up the offer to have a flu jab and a COVID booster vaccine.  After two years of wearing masks, our immunity is low and we are more susceptible to a range of winter illness so stock up your medicine cabinets and treat symptoms early. With the festive season almost upon us, I hope you all manage to have some time off and have a happy, restful and peaceful break. I wish you all the best for 2023.