Virtual Annual Plan Events 2021

More than 80 members, Governors and staff from across the Trust met virtually for the delayed Annual Plan Event on 19 April 2021. 

Each year the Trust asks Governors to consult with members to see what their priorities are for the Trust’s activities over the coming year, asking them:

• What are we doing well?
• Where do we need to improve?
• What should we do more of?
• What should we stop doing? 

After an initial scene setting presentation by ELFT Directors Amar Shah and Richard Fradgley, attendees, broke into four discussion groups based on locality: Bedfordshire & Luton, City and Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets where they received updates from their local Borough and Service Directors about how the Trust has managed the pandemic but also about plans for the next year.

Members expressed their pride in the Trust’s capacity to respond to Covid through innovation, adaptation and a willingness to take risks, as well as their admiration for our staff in dealing with Covid in stressful and often traumatic circumstances.

Here are some of the themes from the feedback.

They would like to see a clear distillation of what the Trust has learnt over the past year, and what our plans are to take this attitude to improvement and innovation into our renewal phase post-Covid.

Communication in general has been highlighted as an area where we could do more and need to improve.

In addition, the pandemic has clearly highlighted issues around deprivation and especially around particularly vulnerable groups (for example those accessing learning disability services or those who find our services hard to access) and members rightly challenged the Trust to put their needs at the heart of our renewal plans.

Members felt that the Trust needed to focus even more on digital inclusion as the last year has shown the value of digital as a way to interact with services – whilst not forgetting that this way of accessing services is not suitable for every circumstance and every service user so the Trust must maintain the offer of face to face services as well. 

After a year of lockdowns and shielding there was a real concern about support for carers and what services for them would re-emerge after the planned end of the restrictions, with a special concern about Day Care Centres. 

What happens Next?

The Council of Governors will review the outcomes of the meeting and will ask the Board to report back early next year, in advance of the 2022 Annual Plan Event, with a summary of how the Trust has responded to these comments and concerns.

Thank you so much to everyone who attended the meeting and who spent 2.5hrs in front of a computer or even on the telephone. We have had such rich feedback which will help us work our way into the renewal phase following the pandemic.

Beverley Morris, Hackney Governor

Sharing her experience as a Governor, Beverley said: I had the privilege of being elected as a Governor of East London Foundation Trust (ELFT) in 2019. My first year was quite a shock, as I had no real idea as to what ELFT did and how much it impacts on those people who have Mental health problems and their wider family.   I thought I would concentrate on the benefit side. So, I volunteered for Hackney Council and sit on various committees that dealt with Mental Health issues, and was able to link ELFT with Hackney Council. In my fist year I learned a lot about co-production and how the council and health are linked.   I was just getting into my stride when in 2020/2021 Covid hit, which has been a difficult year, however, I have seen first-hand that ELFT had been doing a wonderful job in keeping Hackneys Mental Health services going.  I am looking forward to continuing my work as a Governor.

Register to join Virtual Members and Stakeholders Meetings

ELFT provides a wide range of community, primary, learning disability, specialist services and mental health services in Newham, Tower Hamlets, City of London, Hackney, Luton, Bedfordshire (Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire) and other areas.

One of the important ways in which we keep our members, service users, carers and anyone else who is interested in ELFT about our services is to invite you to join your local Members and Stakeholders meetings.

These meetings provide local service updates covering Luton, Bedfordshire (Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire), London and other areas. The meetings are being held virtually, via the online video conferencing platform ‘Zoom’ so you can join from the comfort of your own home.

Recent meetings provided updates on Covid-19 and how we are planning our services following the second wave. Members and Stakeholders can let us know what future topics they would like to know more about at future meeting.

Here are the details of meetings

Register to join your local meeting(s) by emailing elft.membership@nhs.net or call 0800 032 7297 (Freephone). We will then provide joining link or dial in details (if you do not have internet access).

Luton Members and Stakeholders’ Meetings
May meeting has happened
Wednesday 22 September 2021

London Members and Stakeholders’ Meetings
3:30pm – 5:00pm
Wednesday 14 July 2021
Thursday 21 October 2021

Bedfordshire (Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire) Members and Stakeholders’ Meetings
3:30pm – 5:00pm
Wednesday 23 June 2021
Thursday 30 September 2021
Wednesday 8 December 2021